BTU Professor Johanna Blokker receives UNESCO Chair in Heritage Studies

The Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) is currently part of the network of 16 UNESCO Chairs in Germany and benefits from the programme's international reputation and diverse networking opportunities. Around 1100 UNESCO Chairs and more than 50 UNITWIN networks in over 130 countries around the world cooperate within the framework of the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme in order to strengthen the goals of UNESCO in science and education.

Prof. Dr Johanna Blokker on the appointment of her chair: "I feel that the decision is a great appreciation of my work and that of my team. For me, interdisciplinarity is the central feature of heritage research. The constellation of professional and disciplinary expertise in this field is unique at BTU. This is reflected in particular in our international Master's degree programmes in World Heritage Studies and Heritage Conservation and Site Management as well as in the Heritage Studies doctoral programme, but also in the diverse research on heritage topics that is carried out in almost all faculties at the university. I look forward to bringing these together in the Heritage Centre and to strengthening and further expanding them by integrating them into the global network of UNESCO Chairs."

The President of the German Commission for UNESCO, Prof. Dr Maria Böhmer, said: "I warmly congratulate Professor Blokker on her appointment as Chair and look forward to working with her! Cultural heritage research has a tradition and a future in Lusatia. For more than 20 years, BTU has been an important part of the international science network and at the same time closely intertwined with the region and its rich cultural heritage. Two UNESCO biosphere reserves, an internationally recognised geopark, the Muskauer Park World Heritage Site and the customs of the Sorbs, which are part of Germany's intangible cultural heritage, have come together here to form the UNESCO 5 initiative, making Lusatia the ideal location for the UNESCO Chair."

About the scientist

Prof. Dr Johanna Blokker has been Head of the Chair of Architectural Conservation at BTU since 2021 and has held the UNESCO Chair in Heritage Studies since December 2025. In her research, she examines cultural heritage from an architectural-historical and cultural-political perspective with a focus on its tasks and effects on society. In addition to her management functions at BTU, she is involved in national and international advisory boards and professional associations for Architectural Conservation and Heritage Studies.

Since 2003: UNESCO Chair for Heritage Studies at the BTU

With the establishment of the UNESCO Chair in Heritage Studies in 2003, UNESCO recognised the excellence of the research and teaching activities at the BTU in the field of tangible and intangible cultural and natural heritage. The first holder of the Chair was Prof. Dr Marie-Theres Albert (Chair of Interculturalism), followed by Prof. Dr Anna Amelina (also Interculturalism) from 2015. The decision to continue the UNESCO Chair in Heritage Studies under the direction of Prof. Dr Johanna Blokker (Architectural Conservation) is a logical continuation of the successful collaboration between BTU and UNESCO.

About UNESCO

UNESCO is the United Nations Organisation for Education, Science, Culture and Communication. It is the only UN organisation with a worldwide network of around 200 national commissions. In Germany, the German Commission for UNESCO is the interface between government, civil society and UNESCO and is involved in shaping Germany's UNESCO membership.

UNESCO Chairs are characterised by excellent research and teaching in UNESCO's fields of work. The central principles are international networking and the promotion of intercultural dialogue. The aim is to contribute to the balanced production, communication and application of knowledge worldwide and to fund sustainable development.