Case Study
Promoting Museum Culture Communication from Local to Global - Communication University of China
Prof Jin Xuetao, Dean of the Faculty of International Media, CUC
Background
The Communication University of China (CUC) has been at the forefront of integrating media innovation with heritage preservation. Recognising the growing need to bridge academic, governmental, and societal boundaries in the field of cultural communication, CUC launched a series of collaborative education programmes designed to promote museums and cultural heritage both locally and globally. These initiatives seek not only to strengthen academic exchange but also to cultivate a new generation of professionals who understand cultural heritage through the lenses of digital media, intercultural dialogue, and social responsibility.
While China’s cultural institutions are rich in heritage, many museums face challenges in communicating their stories to international audiences. Gaps persist between academic training and professional practice, between universities and cultural industries, and between domestic and overseas institutions.
Approaches
CUC’s vision was to dissolve these boundaries — between disciplines, between academia and government, and between universities and society — to foster innovation in museum communication and management.
The overarching aim was to create educational experiences that merge theoretical study with hands-on engagement, enabling students to apply communication and digital media expertise to real-world cultural contexts. CUC sought to:
- Promote intercultural understanding through collaborative learning.
- Strengthen students’ skills in digital storytelling and cultural management.
- Encourage social responsibility and volunteerism in the museum sector.
- Establish international partnerships that bring new perspectives and methodologies to heritage education.
The Communication University of China developed a range of joint educational programmes and practice-based initiatives in partnership with international universities and local heritage organisations.
Resources
Rethinking Heritage Futures, Online Workshop “Developing International Collaborations and Creative Partnerships”, 24 June 2025, Nottingham Trent University (NTU), Communication University of China (CUC).
Projects
1. Sino–Italian Summer Camp on Digital Cultural Heritage
A flagship initiative, the Digital Cultural Relics Macro Documentary Summer Camp, was jointly organised by CUC, Venice University, and Italy’s City Wall Association. The programme united Chinese and Italian students to conduct comparative studies on cultural heritage protection and communication.
Through field research, cross-cultural interviews, and digital media production, participants produced documentaries exploring parallels between Chinese and Italian heritage sites. The project successfully merged media technology with cultural scholarship, enhancing students’ professional expertise, intercultural communication, and capacity for international collaboration.
2. Fieldwork and Rural Heritage Projects
Each summer, CUC students engage in immersive fieldwork in rural areas such as Beijing’s Pinggu District. Equipped with cameras and digital tools, they document and preserve local heritage — collecting oral histories, recording traditions, and even applying AI technology to generate new cultural IPs.
In collaboration with the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, students co-create crafts, textiles, and prototypes inspired by traditional designs. These projects not only support “village museums” — small, community-based cultural spaces — but also stimulate local tourism and raise awareness of heritage conservation. For students, this experience fosters both technical skill and a profound sense of social responsibility.
3. Volunteerism and Museum Service
Volunteer programmes allow CUC students to apply their museum management knowledge in real settings. They serve as guides and interpreters at museums on campus and across Beijing, offering multilingual tours and educational assistance to both Chinese and international visitors. Through this, they contribute directly to public engagement and cultural interpretation, embodying the bridge between academia and the community.
4. Mini-Major in Digital Museum Management (CUC–NTU Collaboration)
In partnership with Nottingham Trent University (NTU), CUC established a Mini-Major in Digital Museum Management. The programme combines bilingual instruction, digital innovation, and interdisciplinary training, bringing together students from multiple Chinese universities. Faculty from both institutions deliver lectures and workshops alongside experts from the museum sector. This joint initiative blends theoretical coursework with practical learning, preparing students to navigate the evolving landscape of digital heritage management.
Challenges and Successes
Challenges
- Bridging institutional and disciplinary divides required sustained coordination between universities, government agencies, and cultural organisations.
- Integrating technology-driven media practices with heritage conservation posed pedagogical challenges, demanding flexible curricula.
- Expanding international collaboration required overcoming language, logistical, and cultural barriers.
Successes
- The Sino–Italian Summer Camp emerged as a model of cross-cultural learning, blending heritage studies with creative media production.
- Student-led rural heritage projects demonstrated how universities can support small communities and strengthen local museum networks.
- Volunteer engagement fostered a new generation of bilingual cultural mediators, enriching the visitor experience in Beijing’s museums.
- The Digital Museum Management Mini-Major positioned CUC as a pioneer in innovative, practice-based museum education, setting a benchmark for academic-industry collaboration in heritage communication.
Discussion
The Communication University of China’s collaborative programmes demonstrate how education, digital innovation, and intercultural dialogue can transform the ways museums engage with their audiences. By merging creative media with heritage practice, these initiatives not only equip students with critical professional and global competencies but also foster mutual understanding, shared responsibility, and new modes of interpreting heritage in contemporary contexts.
As such models continue to evolve, they invite further discussion on how universities, cultural institutions, and communities worldwide might co-develop sustainable frameworks for training future heritage communicators and expanding the social role of museums in a connected world.
Reflecting on these outcomes suggests that the most meaningful progress in museum communication arises not only from technological innovation but from sustained human exchange—between disciplines, between institutions, and between cultures.