HERITAS

The project “Modernisation of Infrastructure for the Research, Analysis and Preservation of Cultural Heritage”, reference number NPOO.C3.2.R2-I2.12.12.0038, is being implemented by the University of Split, Arts Academy as the beneficiary of non-repayable funding under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, on the basis of a Grant Agreement concluded with the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth as the competent authority for Component C3.2. Strengthening Research and Innovation Capacity. The total value of the project amounts to EUR 872,204.50, while the project implementation period and the expenditure eligibility period run from 1 January 2026 to 30 June 2026. 

The project is aimed at modernising the research and professional capacities of the Department of Conservation-Restoration at the Arts Academy through the procurement and upgrading of highly specialised equipment for non-invasive analysis, documentation, diagnostics, and treatment of cultural heritage. The planned equipment includes an upgrade of a portable Raman spectrometer for 532 nm measurements, a high-resolution digital microscopy system for 2D/3D documentation and measurement, a UV-VIS-NIR multispectral imaging system with lighting and calibration modules, an FTIR microscopic system and a portable FTIR spectrometer, a high-resolution portable radiometric thermal imaging camera, a drilling resistance measurement system, and a laser device for the cleaning and conservation-restoration treatment of artworks. 

The introduction of this equipment will create the conditions for more precise material characterisation, layer identification, monitoring of damage and degradation processes, and the implementation of advanced in situ investigations with minimal or entirely avoided physical sampling. In this way, the protection of artworks and other cultural heritage objects will be significantly enhanced, while conservation-restoration interventions will become safer, more sustainable, and methodologically more reliable. 

The project will further strengthen the interconnection between scientific research, teaching, and professional practice through the application of contemporary diagnostic and documentation methods in cooperation with project partners and teaching bases. The new infrastructure will contribute to process digitalisation, the development of interdisciplinary research, and the implementation of green conservation principles, with a strong focus on sustainable and non-invasive approaches to cultural heritage preservation. 

The monitoring and evaluation of project results are aligned with the objectives of the NPOO C3.2.R2-I2 Call, which is aimed at enhancing research and innovation infrastructure in the STEM and ICT fields, strengthening the R&I capacities of universities and their constituent units, and fostering cooperation with industry. 

The evaluation framework will include the publication of 10 scientific papers as an indicator of contribution to scientific excellence, the implementation of 20 collaborative projects with industry documented through contracts with companies, and the establishment of 3 collaborations with international partners through joint publications and agreements. These indicators will enable the systematic monitoring of the project’s contribution to the development of high-level research and innovation infrastructure, the strengthening of scientific and international excellence, and the transfer of knowledge to the economic sector. 

The project team brings together professionals with complementary managerial, technical, financial-administrative, and operational expertise, thereby ensuring the high-quality, timely, and substantively grounded implementation of all project activities. The team structure has been designed to integrate strategic project management, expert preparation and implementation of equipment procurement, financial and administrative oversight, public procurement procedures, and the logistical coordination of relocation and space reorganisation, with clearly defined responsibilities and a high level of internal coherence.

The Project Manager is Associate Professor of Art Mladen Ćulić, Head of the Department of Conservation-Restoration at UMAS, with a 40% allocation to the project. Drawing on extensive experience in departmental leadership, quality assurance processes, and participation in public and cultural governance bodies, he is responsible for the strategic management of the project, coordination of spatial adaptation activities, internal communication, and overall implementation monitoring and reporting. His institutional role ensures that project activities remain fully aligned with the teaching, research, and development needs of the Department.

The expert advisor for laboratory equipment is Full Professor of Art Larisa Vidaković, with a 25% allocation, whose long-standing experience in organising workshops, projects, and development processes at UMAS provides essential expert support in defining equipment specifications and technical requirements. As co-head of the specialist track in the conservation-restoration of polychromed wood, she contributes directly to the professional relevance and functional appropriateness of the planned equipment in relation to the needs of teaching, research, and conservation-restoration practice. 

The expert advisor for conservation-restoration equipment is Assistant Professor of Art Nikola Radošević, with a 25% allocation, who brings substantial experience in field-based projects, conservation-restoration practice, and the application of diagnostic and documentation methods. His role includes the preparation and review of technical specifications, supervision of equipment functionality, and drafting of technical documentation, particularly in relation to the conservation-restoration of wall paintings and mosaics. In this way, he helps ensure that the procured equipment responds effectively to the actual needs of specialist tracks and work on complex cultural heritage assets. 

The project’s financial and administrative coordination is entrusted to Josip Grgić, University Specialist in Economics, Head of the UMAS Project Office, with a 30% allocation. Building on more than a decade of experience in EU-funded projects and in managing financial, contractual, and reporting processes, he is responsible for financial monitoring, coordination of administrative procedures, preparation and control of project documentation, cooperation with the external public procurement expert, and ensuring compliance with NPOO rules and other applicable requirements.

An important role in the implementation is also performed by an external public procurement expert, that is, a specialised economic operator with experience in procurement procedures within EU-funded projects and in the application of public procurement legislation. This role includes the preparation and implementation of all public procurement procedures, drafting tender documentation, publishing notices in the relevant systems, administering procedures, reviewing and evaluating tenders, contracting, and document archiving. This arrangement ensures legality, transparency, and full compliance of procurement procedures with the applicable rules and project requirements.

The coordinator for library relocation and logistics is Žana Siminiati Violić, Professor of Art Education and Senior Librarian, Head of the UMAS Library, with a 30% allocation. With many years of experience in the organisation and management of the Academy’s library system, she is responsible for coordinating the relocation of the library, organising the logistical aspects of the move, and ensuring the continuity of library operations, collections, and space functionality throughout project implementation. Her contribution is particularly important in the operational segment of the project, which requires careful planning and execution of spatial and organisational adjustments.

The project is implemented through four interrelated activities over a six-month period, from 1 January 2026 to 30 June 2026. The activities are structured to encompass the infrastructural adaptation of facilities, the procurement and operational deployment of specialised equipment, the implementation of communication and visibility measures, and the overall management and administrative monitoring of the project, thereby ensuring the coherent and effective achievement of all project objectives.

A1 – Adaptation of the Department of Conservation-Restoration premises is implemented from project month 2 to project month 5 and represents a fundamental enabling activity for establishing a functional and safe working environment tailored to the requirements of professional non-destructive analysis and conservation-restoration of cultural heritage. This activity includes the partial refurbishment of the existing premises at Fausta Vrančića 17a, comprising the removal of existing furniture and equipment, dismantling of flooring and partition elements, preparatory construction works, installation of ceramic floor and skirting finishes, final wall treatment, installation of workshop doors, and final cleaning and spatial reorganisation. As part of this activity, the library will also be relocated and reorganised, while the premises will be additionally equipped with metal tool cabinets and modular furniture, thereby ensuring appropriate hygienic, organisational, and functional conditions for future work.

A2 – Procurement of equipment for the Department of Conservation-Restoration is implemented from project month 2 to project month 6 and constitutes the central developmental activity of the project. Its purpose is to modernise the Department’s research, teaching, and professional capacities through the acquisition of highly specialised equipment for non-invasive, in situ diagnostics, analysis, documentation, and treatment of cultural heritage. This activity includes the procurement of spectroscopic, microscopic, multispectral, thermographic, mechanical-diagnostic, and laser-based systems that will enable more precise identification of materials, layers, surface alterations, and structural deterioration, either without physical sampling or with only minimal intervention. In this way, the scientific research capacities of the Department are strengthened, the quality of teaching and professional practice is enhanced, and additional opportunities are created for cooperation with partners, teaching bases, and the economic sector.

A3 – Communication and visibility is carried out continuously from project month 1 to project month 6, with the aim of ensuring transparency of funding and informing the professional, academic, and wider public about the project’s objectives, implementation process, and results. The activity includes the creation of a dedicated subpage on the official UMAS website, where key project information, the implementation timeline, an overview of project activities, technical information on the procured equipment, and contact details for cooperation and enquiries will be presented. In addition, through communication on social media and the publication of photographs, short news items, infographics, and highlights of key implementation stages, the project will be brought closer to students, the professional community, and the local public, while also emphasising the contribution of the investment to the development of new research and innovation capacities.

A4 – Project management and administration is likewise carried out throughout the entire project period, from project month 1 to project month 6, and covers all managerial, coordination, financial, and administrative tasks required for the proper implementation of the project. This activity includes coordination of project stakeholders, financial monitoring of expenditure, preparation of reports, internal communication, coordination of public procurement procedures, maintenance of project documentation, and systematic risk management. Through regular progress monitoring, team meetings, and the application of preventive measures in the event of delays or deviations, full compliance with NPOO rules is ensured, together with the effective delivery of the planned results.

The project is being implemented independently by the University of Split, Arts Academy, as the sole beneficiary of the grant and the institution fully responsible for all project activities. Its implementation is grounded in the institutional, professional, and research capacities of UMAS, in particular those of the Department of Conservation-Restoration, which continuously develops specialised knowledge and methodologies in the field of conservation-restoration through teaching, research, and direct engagement with cultural heritage. The integrated study programme in Conservation-Restoration forms part of the Academy’s academic and professional profile, while teaching and professional practice are carried out in specialised workshops, laboratories, teaching bases, and in situ settings, demonstrating a high level of institutional readiness for the independent and effective implementation of this project.

The project is registered in CroRIS, the Croatian Research Information System, and is publicly available at the following link: https://www.croris.hr/projekti/projekt/17803.