Bridging Academia and Heritage: The Creation of Cultural Routes as a Teaching Strategy
摘要
This paper explores the application of Project-Based Learning (PBL) in cultural heritage education within the Master’s in Intercultural Studies for Business at ISCAP, Porto Polytechnic. Two groups of interdisciplinary students participated in a project involving the curricular units of French Culture for Business III and Spanish Culture for Business III. Collaboratively, they designed cultural tourism routes—one focused on maritime traditions of Andalucía and Bretagne and another exploring literary narratives of the Spanish Civil War, written by three Spanish and French authors. The project required research, strategic planning, branding, marketing and sustainable planning, fostering critical thinking, teamwork, and business communication skills. A qualitative analysis of student’s outputs, deliverables, and survey responses highlighted increased engagement, problem-solving abilities, and interdisciplinary collaboration. This paper underscores PBL’s effectiveness in connecting theory and practice, enhancing cultural awareness, and developing professional competencies in sustainable tourism and cultural branding. By immersing students in hands-on experiences, this pedagogical approach not only deepens their understanding of cultural heritage and cultural routes as economic assets, but also develops essential skills for careers in intercultural business and heritage management.