To make the most of everyone’s knowledge and expertise, exchanges with the international professional community are essential. The Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, RCE) also cooperates with other countries to develop new heritage-related knowledge.
Below are the main expert networks and academic partnerships the RCE is involved in.
The European Association of Archaeologists (EAA) is an international professional association which promotes the development and exchange of archaeological research and the proper management of Europe’s archaeological heritage.
Europeana is an online platform to share knowledge about cultural heritage and to access digital resources at European cultural and academic institutions. A European Commission initiative, the portal provides access to more than 45 million digitized books, maps, photographs, videos, paintings and pieces of music. The digital heritage collections at Collectienederland.nl are also available through Europeana.
The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) is an NGO dedicated to the preservation of cultural monuments such as buildings, historic cities, cultural landscapes and archaeological sites. It promotes exchanges between international experts, and also provides training and advice. Founded in 1965, ICOMOS is an adviser to UNESCO on the World Heritage List. It is headquartered in Paris.
The International Council of Museums (ICOM) is a NGO in the museum sector. It too promotes exchanges between international experts and provides training and advice. Founded in 1946, ICOM is UNESCO’s official adviser on museums. Its headquarters are in Paris.
The ICOM’s Committee for Conservation (ICOM-CC), its largest international research subcommittee, promotes the conservation of culturally significant works of art.
European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science (E-RIHS) was established in 2020 to promote cooperation between heritage scientists. The RCE is coordinator of the Dutch branch. The aim is to provide Europe’s heritage research community with access to an international infrastructure of laboratory facilities, data, knowledge and expertise so as to preserve cultural heritage more effectively and to make it accessible for future generations in a sustainable manner. Numerous universities, government bodies, museums and archives are members.
The Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage and Global Change (JPICH) is the common cultural heritage research agenda of eighteen European countries. The work it inspires covers all aspects of heritage and brings together academics, scientists, policymakers and industry. The RCE acts as coordinator of the Dutch research projects.
