Integration of cultural heritage in architecture: a national study of Jordanian higher education.

This paper explores cultural heritage pedagogical practices in architectural curricula. A comprehensive mixed-method research approach was implemented on a national scale to examine the curricula of architecture departments in all Jordanian universities. This investigation encompassed qualitative and quantitative analyses, including the development of Standard and Compulsory Affinity Index ratios to assess the level of heritage integration in these curricula. To further enhance findings from both analyses, purposive criterion sampling was used for semi-structured interviews with 20 architectural professors, alongside a participatory workshop involving 25 academics, heritage professionals, and organisations. The research contributes to the limited existing literature on cultural heritage education in architectural curricula. It also introduces a model for assessing cultural heritage education at the BSc level, uncovering disparities in its presence within architectural curricula. The role of the Accreditation & Quality Assurance Commission for Higher Education Institutions in promoting heritage education is found to be limited, and inconsistencies in terminology and approaches across institutions are observed. While the primary focus is on the Jordanian context, this research offers practical recommendations that can be applied more broadly to architectural education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]