In July 2004, at the 28th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO, the Chinese government formally proposed the establishment of " World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region " in China. In October 2007, the establishment of the World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region Under the Auspices of UNESCO (category 2) was officially approved.
The World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region under the Auspices of UNESCO is a non-profit organization that specializes in world heritage research and training. It is the first category 2 center under the auspices of UNESCO established in the Global South. The secretariat is currently located in Shanghai, with three sub-centers in Beijing, Shanghai and Suzhou.
WHITR-AP Beijing serves under the direction of both Peking University and the Secretariat of the National Commission for UNESCO in China. WHITR-AP Beijing underwent an organization restructuring and since July 2019, the School of Archaeology and Museology of Peking University is responsible for its operation and management, under the supervision of Peking University.
Peking University has a wide range of disciplines. For those concerning natural heritage, the relevant disciplines include biology, geology, geography and landscape studies. For those concerning cultural heritage and cultural landscape, the relevant disciplines include archaeology, heritage architecture, conservation science, etc. Building on the professional capacity of Peking University, WHITR-AP Beijing mainly focuses on the protection, management, research and training of natural heritage, archaeological sites and cultural landscapes.
WHITR-AP Beijing fully respects the interdisciplinary characteristics of heritage studies, and with strong academic and professional support from Peking University, it focuses on the advancement of the World Heritage Convention and its Operational Guidelines. Through training and education, research and practice, exchange and cooperation, information and communication, WHITR-AP Beijing aims to further contribute to the training and research of World Heritage protection in the Asia and the Pacific region.
Director
Shen Ruiwen (Dean of School of Archaeology and Museology of Peking University)
Director of the Academic Committee
Sun Hua (Professor of School of Archaeology and Museology of Peking University)
Deputy Director of the Academic Committee
Chen Yaohua (Associate Professor of College of Urban and Environmental Sciences of Peking University)
Deputy Director
Jiang Dayong (Professor of School of Earth and Space Sciences of Peking University)
Li Jianghai (Professor of School of Earth and Space Sciences of Peking University)
Song Feng (Associate Professor of College of Urban and Environmental Sciences of Peking University)
Executive Director
Li Kuanghan (Researcher of Peking University Cultural Heritage Protection Research Center)
Researcher
Zhang Jianwei (Associate Professor with Tenure of School of Archaeology and Museology of Peking University)
Wang Siyu (Assistant Professor of School of Archaeology and Museology of Peking University)
Program Executive
Zhou Zijie
Research Assistant
Lina Park (Doctoral Student of School of Archaeology and Museology of Peking University)
Past and Present interns Cai Shiyu Ma Qinglong Li Pengpeng Shu Peiyuan Wang Mengnan Zhao Yajing Antonio Quiroz Chen Shiyu Xie Tianyi Hu Shen Li Chaoying Zhou Qianyu Ding Zhongmin Li Qiang Long Yan Lyn Jiaxin Lu He Zhu Xichen Yu Mengying Li Ziyi Ma Lerong Cao Jiyang Qian Meili Yang Ying HU Xiaoye CUDJOE PERPETUAL Yu Yijia
Website whitrap.pku.edu.cn
WeChat Official Account: 北京大学文化遗产研究
Email: whitrapbj@126.com
Address: Room B201, South Wing, Archaeology Building, Peking University, 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing
