On November 16, 1972, the General Conference of UNESCO passed the "Convention for the Protection of the Cultural and Natural Heritage of the World." With this convention, UNESCO seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding universal value. It is the task of current and future generations to protect and maintain those sites and make them globally accessible. Both the UNESCO Convention and the process of globalisation further the internationalisation of the cultural and natural heritage of our world.

World Heritage Studies is a unique and innovative programme that takes up the technical, socio-economic, cultural, ecological and political challenges related to the protection of World Heritage by the means of an interdisciplinary curriculum. It cuts across all faculties of the BTU and is supported by UNESCO. The programme is targeted to students with a first degree in the area of cultural sciences wishing to work in a future-oriented and innovative field.