UNITA–Universitas Montium. Promotional image from the alliance’s initial phase.

Archive date: 1 November 2020. Revised in October 2026.

My work within UNITA focused on developing research and innovation through thematic hubs, including a hub dedicated to cultural heritage. It brought together questions that also shape my academic research: how knowledge is produced, how institutions work together and how research relates to the places in which it is undertaken.

UNITA’s initial alliance brought together six universities in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Romania, including the Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour. Its early research priorities included cultural heritage, renewable energy and the circular economy, with particular attention to rural, mountain and border regions. The alliance has since expanded to twelve universities across seven countries.

The thematic hubs were intended to help researchers develop collaborations around shared questions. Cultural heritage provided a meeting point for work on language, memory, cultural practices and the relationships between universities and their surrounding communities. Developing the hub meant thinking about the conditions in which these different kinds of expertise could contribute to common research projects.

I was interested in the connection between research collaboration and teaching. My work on intangible heritage in Béarn offers one example of how regional histories and practices can contribute to learning and exchange within a European university setting.

The UNITA work also forms part of my experience in European research development. It connects my research interests with the practical work of identifying shared objectives and developing international collaborations. Further information about this strand of my work appears on my About page.