The Heritage and Culture cluster of the Campus of International Excellence Southern Catalonia (CEICS) strengthens and promotes the wealth of historic and cultural heritage in the area. The setting of the CEICS on the Mediterranean coast makes it an ideal place for training and working in this sector. Three of the six heritage sites in Catalonia recognized by UNESCO are in the knowledge region of the south of the autonomous community:
- The archaeological ensemble of Tarraco
- Rock art, comprising an arch between the south and north-east of the region
- The Poblet Monastery
Prehistory and archaeology
Rovira i Virgili University (URV) offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in history and art history, and along with other universities and research institutes, it has designed a catalogue of internationally recognized master's degrees, such as the master's in quaternary archaeology and human evolution and the master's in classical archaeology. Archaeology and prehistory are both areas of excellence of the CEICS.
The outstanding educational opportunities offered in these areas is buttressed by two leading research institutes:
- The Institute of Human Palaeoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES)
- The Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology (ICAC)
Mediterranean culture and heritage
The URV also houses the headquarters of the Euromed Permanent University Forum, an association of universities that aims to create a research and higher education area and to promote cooperation and dialogue between the educational institutions of the European Union, from the eastern and southern Mediterranean countries.
