From 9 to 11 May 2025, HERITΛGE hosted an online workshop on strategic planning for heritage managers, led by Dr Alexandros Papalexandris. The workshop brought together 18 participants from 13 countries across Africa and Europe, aiming to strengthen strategic thinking, build organisational capacity, and support long term planning in the heritage field.

Over three days, participants explored key concepts such as vision and mission setting, stakeholder engagement, SMART objectives, and the role of values in strategy. They learned to use practical tools including SWOT and PESTEL analysis to assess internal and external environments, and examined the differences between planned and emergent strategies.

Working in teams, participants applied these concepts to four real projects: digitising rural culture in South Africa, preserving traditional African sports and games, creating a youth heritage club in Uganda, and documenting a historic monastery collection in Ethiopia. These case studies encouraged collaborative learning and practical application.

The second day featured a guest lecture by Debashish Nayak, a leading architect and heritage expert, who shared insights from over three decades of work on urban conservation in India. His talk highlighted the importance of community involvement and education in heritage preservation, drawing on his experience leading Ahmedabad to become India’s first UNESCO World Heritage City.

The course leader really articulated everything till I really understood and I appreciate his patience through out. [The course will help me to] strategic plan and execute our vision and mission and align them.

~Paidamoyo Mandizvidza, Deputy Director Digital Content and Multimedia Broadcasting at African Traditional Sports and Games Confederation

The final day focused on competitive advantage, strategic implementation, and evaluation. Participants discussed how to align resources with organisational goals and studied cases from institutions such as the British Museum and Cirque du Soleil. They also explored the use of feasibility studies and business plans to support strategic initiatives.

The workshop was a great success, equipping participants with practical tools and strategic insights tailored to the needs of the heritage sector. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the value of real case studies, expert guidance, and peer learning.

For more information about HERITΛGE’s workshops, go to our open courses page, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter / X, LinkedIn or Instagram.

 

Countries represented: Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.