Partnerships and Associated Networks

The National Trust Partnership is a collaboration between Oxford University and the National Trust which has been established to create new opportunities for interdisciplinary research, knowledge exchange, public engagement with research and training. The partnership is creating new projects that facilitate cutting-edge academic research into the National Trust's inspiring places and collections, and see this embedded into its interpretation and public programming initiatives. Activities take place through a range of workstreams at both organisations, including academic research placements

OxRBL provides a focus for research at the intersection of geomorphology and heritage conservation. It has a collaborative partnership with the Getty Conservation Institute in the form of the Built Heritage Research Initiative and a collaborative partnership with the Dunhuang Research Academy in NW China. At present, OxRBL carries out research and outreach activities across four main thematic areas.

The Digital Humanities and Sensory Heritage (DHSH) network brings together scholars, digital technicians, curators, museum professionals and performers to critically explore the multifarious ways that digital humanities tools can be leveraged to reconsider heritage and the senses.

The Heritage Alliance unites over 130 independent heritage organisations in England as a powerful, effective and independent advocate for heritage.

As England's biggest coalition of heritage interests we bring together independent heritage organisations from the National Trust, English Heritage, Canal & River Trust and Historic Houses Association, to more specialist bodies representing visitors, owners, volunteers, professional practitioners, funders and educationalists. 

The National Heritage Science Forum brings together the producers and users of heritage science to improve collaboration, help practitioners make better use of research, and demonstrate the public benefit of heritage science.

One of ten Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTP) across the UK, the Open-Oxford-Cambridge AHRC DTP brings together The Open University, the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge to provide funding and high-quality training to doctoral students in the arts and humanities. 

The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Science and Engineering in Arts, Heritage and Archaeology (SEAHA) is an 8-year initiative (2014-2022) to establish an infrastructure to meet challenges set by the heritage sector, industry and government. Heritage presents complex cross-disciplinary scientific and engineering research questions, ideal for talented graduate students to address. Working with heritage and industry partners, SEAHA students create, innovate or use sensors, instrumentation, imaging, digital and creative technologies to improve our understanding of heritage. 

The aim of this network was to connect scholars from the humanities, social sciences and applied sciences interested in harnessing the power of 3D mapping, photogrammetry and virtual environments in their research. Collectively, this network explored and tested the benefits or limitations of technological approaches for studying historical records, material objects and cultural sites, and charted new paths of exploring our past and shared heritage.

Launched in 2018, the Cambridge Heritage Research Centre brings together researchers in heritage studies from across the University of Cambridge. The Centre acts as a focus for the sharing and advancement of heritage research within the University. It also organizes a range of seminars, lectures and workshops for academics and professionals working in the field of Heritage Studies.

Heritage Declares is a non-affiliated group of heritage practitioners who have come together to urge the sector to react more quickly and effectively to the climate and ecological emergency. In October 2019 we launched a Declaration, setting out ten principles for a more sustainable sector. We encourage both individuals and organisations to sign the Declaration, as an expression of their commitment to tackling the greatest challenge of our time.

Historic Houses is the representative body for around 1,450 Grade I and II* listed historic houses, castles, and gardens across the UK. Member houses are all independently owned, mostly operating as SMEs in the private sector. Their member houses range from icons like Chatsworth House, Castle Howard, Knebworth and Blenheim Palace to more intimate houses like Traquair in Scotland and Treowen in Wales. They represent, advise and support house owners so that these amazing places can stay alive and accessible for generations to come.

The Climate Heritage Network (CHN) is a voluntary, mutual support network of government agencies, NGOs, universities, businesses, and other organizations committed to tackling climate change and achieving the ambitions of the Paris Agreement. Mobilized in 2018 during the Global Climate Action Summit and launched in 2019, the Climate Heritage Network works to re-orient climate policy, planning, and action at all levels to account for dimensions of culture - from arts to heritage.