Bachelor of Arts in Intangible Cultural Heritage

Since Zambia ratified the 2003 UNESCO Convention, the country has undertaken a number of activities to implement this global agenda. This undergraduate degree programme in Intangible Cultural Heritage is one way through which Zambia will contribute to the promotion and preservation of intangible cultural heritage. The programme aims to nurture future cultural and museum experts by providing high quality and demand-driven value-based education which meets industry expectations globally. This mission statement is guided by the School of Humanities and Social Sciences Strategic Plan for the period 2023-2027 mission “to provide quality and relevant business education, research and innovation that shape the future of society (2023: 23). This is underpinned by the University of Zambia’s mission “to provide quality and relevant higher education, research and innovation that shape the future society” (UNZA strategic Plan, 2023-2027, 2022: 10).

A systematic study of intangible cultural heritage is useful in providing a thorough understanding of the many aspects of the social and professional world. Cultural practitioners use empirical research methods to understand human behaviour in diverse areas of life and develop evidence-based strategies that help solve some of the challenging societal problems that exist today and contribute towards improving interpersonal relationships and global citizenship. Zambia’s need for human resource training in human-based disciplines such as intangible cultural heritage cannot be overlooked.

The Bachelor of Arts degree programme in intangible cultural heritage aims to provide students with a firm foundation in cultural studies. It will equip them with knowledge and core skills, including the ability to plan, implement and evaluate research in cultural studies; think critically and creatively, and use scientific methods to explain and solve problems; communicate effectively in a variety of formats and settings; and act professionally within an ethical framework. The knowledge and skills acquired are highly regarded by employers in diverse spheres of life of both the public and private sectors and will give graduates an edge in a range of careers and thus enable them to contribute to local, national and international harnessing and understanding of different cultures and human development.

The undergraduate programme in intangible cultural heritage is important as it contributes toward producing a well-trained human resource pool equipped with the knowledge and skills that are directly relevant to Zambia’s and global cultural training. In addition, this undergraduate degree programme plays a significant role in offering students, wishing to embark on pursuing higher degrees, a solid academic foundation that adequately prepares them for postgraduate studies in cultural studies, history, tourism, museum studies, and cognate disciplines, both locally and internationally. Students who have studied intangible cultural heritage can make significant contributions in different contexts including in Planning Departments in public institutions, design and technology, programmes on nutrition and health, engineering, tourism sector, museums, the arts industry, and so on.

The overall aim of this degree programme is to offer students an opportunity to deepen their theory and practice in the field of intangible cultural heritage so as to make them effective managers in the promotion and safeguarding of cultural resources for sustainable development.

Upon completion of this programme, students are expected to be able to:

a) demonstrate expertise in the safeguarding of ICH;

b) attain the level of training of ICH administrators and experts;

d) safeguard and utilise indigenous knowledge in the promotion of ICH;

e) deepen their theory and practice of intangible cultural heritage management; and

f) be equipped with the knowledge and tools for conducting research, documentation, planning, design and management in the field of ICH.