From 15 to 19 March 2026, four members of the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence took part in a five-day secondment at the Faculty of Law of Maastricht University, hosted by Prof. Donna Yates and the UM REVITALISER team.
The visit covered the cultural property policy, criminology and law components of REVITALISER, complementing the technical training delivered earlier by BSC and FBK. Day one included a visit to TEFAF Maastricht, offering direct exposure to the international art and antiquities market, provenance, due diligence and the global circulation of cultural objects.
Day two focused on Problem-Based Learning sessions at the Faculty of Law — an approach the ECoE team is now exploring for its own Vocational Training Centre. Day three centred on a working meeting with the Dutch Police, where ECoE presented its capabilities in cultural heritage protection and discussed concrete pathways for cooperation on cultural property crimes. The final day connected the team with UM’s “The Plant” innovation hub and the Faculty of Computer Science to explore further synergies in digital heritage and AI.
Overall, the secondment opened a new policy and law chapter in REVITALISER’s capacity-building strategy and strengthened ECoE’s positioning at the intersection of cultural heritage protection and criminal justice.
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