On 11–12 September 2025, the ARCHE Final Event “Bridging Towards Resilient Cultural Heritage” took place at Tour & Taxis, Brussels. The two-day event, organised by the Fondation des Sciences du Patrimoine together with the Flanders Heritage Agency and KEA European Affairs, marked the conclusion of three years of collaboration within the Horizon Europe-funded ARCHE project (Alliance for Research on Cultural Heritage in Europe).
The event brought together representatives of the European Commission, heritage institutions, research organisations and stakeholders to reflect on ARCHE’s achievements and debate the future of cultural heritage research in Europe. A particular milestone was the launch of the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), which will serve as a reference framework for setting priorities in the years ahead and may inform the future European Partnership on Resilient Cultural Heritage.
As ARCHE coordinator of the SRIA drafting process, Vania Virgili, Director General of E-RIHS and former Research Director at the CNR, played a pivotal role in shaping this outcome. She took part in the event, presenting the SRIA and underlining the importance of the participatory approach that guided its development. The process mobilised the ARCHE consortium, external experts and a wide range of stakeholders, ensuring that the SRIA reflects the shared vision and challenges of the cultural heritage research community.
The second day of the event featured thematic breakout sessions, with participants engaging in serious games and co-design exercises around topics such as capacity building, Living Labs and Knowledge Hubs. These dynamic discussions highlighted ARCHE’s commitment to fostering collaboration at the intersection of science, policy and practice.
