Call for participants - Capacity building workhops for cultural heritage professionals ©

British Council, 2026

The British Council invites Bangladeshi heritage professionals who demonstrate a profound commitment to cultural heritage to apply for the 'Capacity building workshops 2025-26'. Supported by the British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund (CPF) and in partnership with Intelis Solution Ltd., this five-week bilingual online programme equips participants with essential skills, practical tools, and collaborative networks to support the protection of Bangladesh’s cultural heritage endangered by urbanisation, rising temperatures, and the loss of traditional knowledge systems.

What is the Cultural Protection Fund ?

Since 2016, the Cultural Protection Fund has been the UK's main response to international cultural heritage protection. It is led by the British Council in partnership with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Its role is to safeguard cultural heritage at risk due to conflict and/or climate change. 

The Cultural Protection Fund launched its initiative in Bangladesh in 2024. In partnership with Durham University and the Varendra Research Museum at the University of Rajshahi, it has successfully completed two phases of capacity development training programme to contribute to Bangladesh’s heritage sector by providing specialised training, fostering impactful connections, and strengthening collaboration among experts.

For more information about the Cultural Protection Fund, visit here:  https://cultural-protection-fund.britishcouncil.org/ 

 

 

Applications open Thursday 8 January 2026
Application deadline Sunday 18 January 2026 ( 23:59:59 Bangladesh Standard Time)
Workshops open Monday 26 January 2026
Workshops close Saturday 28 February 2026

Applicants
  • Who? We are looking for a range of committed individuals ranging from early-career to those more established.
  • Diversity? Applications are especially encouraged from women, indigenous communities, under-represented groups, and individuals with disabilities. 
  • Experience level? Professional or voluntary experience in cultural heritage work is desirable. 
  • Technical requirements? Participants must have access to a stable internet connection for the duration of the five-week programme. 
Eligible heritage sectors
  • Built and archaeological heritage
  • Archives and library collections 
  • Crafts, traditional and material cutlure
  • Heritage documentation digitisation
  • Historic landscapes and cultural landscapes
  • Industrial and maritime heritage 
  • Craftsmanship skills and apprenticeship
  • Culinary heritage
  • Cultural expressions in media and oral history 
  • Language and dialects
  • Oral traiditons and storytelling
  • Performing arts
  • Rituals, ceremonies and festivities
In addition to:
  • Community-based heritage and participatory approaches
  • Digital heritage and open access
  • Funding, partnerships and project design 
  • Heritage and climate resilience and/or disaster risk management measures
  • Heritage education and youth engagement

  • Enhance core competence: Advance professional practice in preservation
  • Gain practical tools: Apply new skills immediately to real-world scenarios
  • Certification: Receive a co-branded certificate validating your expertise
  • Future opportunity: Insights into project management from the funders' perspective

  • Review the full Terms of Reference (ToR): It is essential to read the detailed guidelines before applying.
  • Download and go through the Bangla and/or English ToRs from the Download sections below.
  • Submit application: Complete the online registration form here. 
  • Deadline for submission: Sunday 18 January 2026 ( 23:59:59 Bangladesh Standard Time)
  • For any inquiry or technical issue, please contact: tanbirul@intelissolution.com

Assessment criteria: 

Based on the provided EOI application, here are the simplified assessment criteria for participants: 

Sector alignment Preference for professionals or volunteers currently working within museums, archives, archaeological units, crafts, academia, or heritage NGOs.
Commitment to safeguarding heritage Evaluation of the applicant's profound interest and active engagement in safeguarding Bangladesh's tangible or intangible heritage. 
Potential for impact Ability to directly apply workshop skills - such as digital preservation and risk management - to their current professional projects.
Diversity and inclusion Priority given to women, indigenous communities, and under-represented and/or applicants with disabilities to ensure an inclusive cohort.

External links

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