Aligning skills with sector needs: new ENCoRE and E.C.C.O. publication sets European benchmark for specialisations in conservation-restoration education
ENCoRE, the European Network for Conservation-Restoration Education, and E.C.C.O., the European Confederation of Conservator-Restorers’ Organisations, announce the release of Specialisations: Trends and Challenges in Conservation-Restoration Education. Available now as an open-access resource, this landmark publication develops further the common strategic framework connecting academic pathways with the evolving demands of cultural heritage preservation across Europe.
Gathering proceedings from the joint symposium held in Prague, Czech Republic, on 5 April 2025, the publication addresses one of the central questions determining the trajectory of conservation-restoration: how specialised knowledge, skills, and responsibilities must be defined, taught, and recognised to meet the realities of today’s complex heritage environments.
As the profession confronts shifting cultural, institutional, technological, and labour-market conditions, the document serves as a timely intervention. It moves beyond viewing specialisation purely as a curricular matter, firmly linking it to social responsibility, professional regulation, institutional capacity, heritage legislation, and procurement systems. Through diverse European contributions, the text examines how specialist profiles can be structured, revised, and validated, from traditional material-based models to advanced competence frameworks addressing polymaterial heritage, contemporary art, digital media, and disaster response.
“Specialisation is no longer just a question of what we teach, but how we prepare professionals for an increasingly complex reality,” said Laura Fuster-López, President of ENCoRE. “This publication represents a vital milestone. By bringing again E.C.C.O. and ENCoRE together, we are ensuring that academic pathways respond directly to the rigorous ethical and methodological demands of modern heritage preservation.”
The release of the publication also aligns directly with the objectives of the European Skills Agenda and the EU Pact for Skills for the Cultural and Creative Industries. As European institutions increasingly call for resilient strategies to upskill and reskill the cultural workforce, E.C.C.O. and ENCoRE provide a crucial blueprint. By mapping out how specialised expertise is developed and validated, the proceedings offer policymakers and heritage institutions the actionable insights required to support sustainable, high-quality employment in the conservation-restoration sector.
The proceedings further emphasise the critical role of transversal competencies, such as communication, decision-making, interdisciplinary mediation, and research literacy, as foundational elements of expert professional practice. By bridging pedagogical models with critical reflections from the field, the publication promotes a dynamic understanding of specialisation as a continuous process spanning formal education, professional experience, and lifelong learning.
“The safeguarding of cultural heritage relies entirely on the competence of the professionals entrusted with it,” added Elis Marçal, President of E.C.C.O. “This joint reflection proves that robust education and clear professional recognition must go hand in hand. It provides the sector with the evidence base needed to advocate for well-defined, highly skilled specialist profiles across Europe.”
Specialisations: Trends and Challenges in Conservation-Restoration Education is freely accessible on Zenodo (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.20082082).