Welcome to the Cultural Heritage Centre for Asia and the Pacific

The Cultural Heritage Centre for Asia and the Pacific (CHCAP) is a leading research centre in the heritage and museum studies field, based in the Alfred Deakin Research Institute and the Faculty of Arts and Education at Deakin University.

Established in 2001, as part of an agreement signed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and Deakin University, the aims of CHCAP are:

• To develop a critical knowledge base in which to understand the diverse ways in which cultural heritage (embodied in places, collections and exhibitions as well as in intangible forms of cultural production) constitutes a medium to value and understand the relationship between past, present and future as well as the need to conserve, manage and interpret cultural heritage.
• To advocate for an understanding of heritage that not only influences and shapes cultural identity, but fosters cross-cultural understanding within our increasingly globalised world.
• To inform the development of policy and practice in the interrelated field of heritage and museum studies by undertaking research which is both nationally and internationally relevant and addresses the most pressing issues in this field.

Distinguishing features of CHCAP’s research include engagement with the heritage/museum industry; networks with professional associations, cultural institutions and international bodies such as UNESCO and ICOMOS; national and international collaborations with other scholars; and the interdisciplinary background of its members.

CHCAP’s research interests focus on the Asia Pacific Region, but are attuned to global debates and developments. Our research, which is both theoretically informed and applied, is grounded in extensive partnerships with our colleagues in the heritage/museum industry in Australia and with scholars in the UK, the US and the Asia Pacific Region.

CHCAP’s research program includes a focus on:

• Heritage and development
• Heritage as a form of public diplomacy
• Cultural heritage and human rights
• The role of heritage interpretation (including the use of digital media) in representing cultural diversity and building cross-cultural dialogue
• Heritage and Memory