LEAD PARTNER UNIVERSITY OF THE AEGEAN, GREECE 1. Describe your institution The Lead Partner (LP) University of the Aegean, Greece, embodies the concept of a “university-society network” with 16 Departments and 26 Postgraduate Programmes based across 5 Aegean islands. Since 1985 the LP has implemented more than 2000 projects of total amount of 140 million Euros. As part of EURAXESS, PROTON Europe, ASTP, CREMO, EMUNI, INTERPET EUROPE, the LP has a direct link with regional development, influencing the ROPs of GR41/42 in a series of priorities related to Greek NSRF and educational policy. In 2004 the LP founded the Greek Center for Heritage Interpretation, as a result of C.I. Leader+, with guidelines for novel professional skills in tourism redefining the national policy context. 2. What was the history/idea behind your pilot project: rationale, objectives, aims? In Rhodes, the flagship of Greek tourism and a UNESCO enlisted site, cultural heritage consumption is dramatically low: a 3% of a 2 million visitors per year. In order to contribute to changing the landscape, the “Rhodes building Europe. Knights at Work” Project is addressing multinational, multigenerational non-captive audiences, i.e. the average healthy adult with sufficient knowledge of English as a foreign language. Prior and expert knowledge about the Medieval Town of Rhodes are set to zero. To enable effective communication, two objectives are set: to reduce extraneous cognitive loads and exploit universal concepts to redirect attention as familiarity allows the human brain to invest less effort when concentrating on personal and meaningful content. Five interpretive spheres have been introduced comparing the sovereignty of Rhodes (1306-1522) with familiar schemes in life such as: (multi-ethnic) governance, citizen services (administration, health, defence, etc), economy and commerce, faith, social life and arts, private life, so as to enable quick understanding and foster participatory cultural consumption. 3. Who conceived the idea? In what forms? The idea was conceived by the principal planner, Dorothea Papathanasiou-Zuhrt. A front-end evaluation has been conducted with 9 members of the local project team. 15 scope surveys in Rhodes with project stakeholders as final beneficiaries, including policy makers, have produced preliminary results. The special contribution of 26 adolescents onsite has redirected planning efforts to-
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wards the inclusion of an ICT advanced and user friendly medium, such as QR codes in the territory and social media platforms for further dissemination. A random sample of 23 cultural heritage users and/or tourists from Europe, Asia and the US has further fine-tuned the pilot project concepts with regards to communication, recreational learning and heritage interpretation. Re-designed contents include a portable exhibition with 20 double view display panels in English and Greek, accessible via 20 QR Codes in the territory; an app; a social media dissemination platform and a game. Most crucial for the success is the completion and seamless operation of the local stakeholder map: businesses, authorities, citizens. The archaeological and historical contents have been validated with a triple reference method with validated scholar sources and have been tested by scientific advisors. Graphic design follows eye-scan path movement and working memory limitations. 4. What was the professional and social background of your project? Is your project relevant, and in what ways for regional/national and community development? The Pilot Project addresses local stakeholders, children and young adults, heritage and tourism related businesses, municipal authorities and archaeological curatorship.
