top of page

ÉVÉNEMENTS

ISIPH Research Laboratories Launch First Edition in Goa: International Collaboration Strengthens Indo-Portuguese Heritage Studies


 

The Fundação Oriente in India will host the inaugural edition of ISIPH Research Laboratories from November 20-26, 2025, marking a pioneering initiative in international scientific cooperation between Portugal, France, and India. This intensive training program brings together leading scholars from prestigious European and Goan institutions to advance methodologies in heritage and historical research focused on Indo-Portuguese studies.



ree

A New Platform for Academic Exchange

The ISIPH Research Laboratories, First Edition: Scientific Research Methodologies represents an innovative approach to fostering academic ties between Portugal and India. Born from discussions at the 16th IPHSIP colloquium held earlier this year at Fundação Oriente Goa, this initiative aims to create annual encounters that reduce the traditional four-year gap between major academic conferences, establishing a more sustained dialogue among researchers.

The program targets researchers, doctoral candidates, and master's students from partner universities in Goa, Aix-en-Provence, Lisbon, and Leiria. Registration is free and open until November 10, 2025, with priority given to master's and doctoral students as well as professionals in the cultural and heritage sectors.


International Partnership

The initiative integrates expertise from leading Goan scholars and institutions:

  • Prof. Anuradha Wagle (Goa University)

  • Dr. Fatima Gracias (Cátedra Eduardo Lourenço)

  • Prof. Parag Parobo (Goa University)

  • Dr. Natasha Fernandes (MoCA)


The program brings together a team of scholars specializing in Indo-Portuguese studies:

  • Ernestine Carreira (Aix-Marseille Université, IMAF-CNRS, Cátedra Eduardo Lourenço)

  • João Paulo Oliveira e Costa (Universidade Nova de Lisboa, CHAM, UNESCO Chair "The Ocean's Heritage")

  • Luís Cabral de Oliveira (Universidade de Leiria, CEDIS)

  • Mónica Esteves Reis (Aix-Marseille Université, Cátedra Eduardo Lourenço)


Comprehensive Training Program

The week-long event features five specialized methodological modules covering critical areas of Indo-Portuguese heritage research:


Global Historiography (November 20-21)

Professor João Paulo Oliveira e Costa from Universidade Nova de Lisboa will conduct two evening sessions exploring "Goa and the Silk Roads" and "Goa and the Eurasian Communications". These training sessions examine Goa's pivotal role as a hub in global maritime circuits from the 16th century onwards, when it served as the capital of Estado da Índia and facilitated communications stretching from Japan to Scandinavia and Russia.


Portuguese Heraldry, Epigraphy and Paleography (November 24)

This module features two complementary training courses. Professor Ernestine Carreira from Aix-Marseille Université will lead hands-on sessions in Portuguese paleography and epigraphy, teaching participants to decipher historical manuscripts and inscriptions from the Modern period. Simultaneously, Professor Luís Cabral de Oliveira from Instituto Politécnico de Leiria will introduce participants to the distinctive Indo-Portuguese heraldic tradition that developed in Goa from 1510 to 1961, examining how Portuguese conventions merged with local artistic traditions.


Heritage Interpretation and French Paleography (November 25)

Professor Mónica Esteves Reis from Aix-Marseille Université will explore comprehensive heritage interpretation methodologies, examining international frameworks established by UNESCO and ICOMOS alongside local policies including Goa's recently adopted Heritage Policy 2025. Professor Carreira will also conduct specialized training in French paleography applied to Goan collections, expanding the linguistic scope of archival research skills.


Field Application (November 26)

The program culminates with practical on-site training at the Viceroys Gallery at the ASI Museum and heritage walks in Old Goa, allowing participants to apply learned methodologies in real historical contexts under the guidance of local scientific partners. Dr. Natasha Fernandes, curator of the Museum of Christian Art (MoCA), will share insights on heritage dissemination and promotion, showcasing MoCA's expert-guided tourism model and community engagement initiatives.


A closing roundtable discussion will gather all trainers and partners to collect participant feedback and identify research opportunities for future collaborations.


Building Sustainable Research Networks

The 2025 seminar acts as an exploratory first edition designed to assess the methodological needs of doctoral students, master's candidates, and researchers from partner universities. This pilot program will inform the development of future iterations, with organizers committed to establishing an annual platform for knowledge exchange. The objective is not only to train a new generation of researchers specialized in Indo-Portuguese heritage studies, but also to consolidate an international research network that contributes to the preservation and valorization of the historical heritage common to countries.


All training sessions will be conducted in English, Portuguese, or French, with some modules available via Zoom to accommodate international participants. The program is hosted at the Fundação Oriente in India (175 Filipe Nery Road, Fontainhas, Goa), with certificates of attendance provided to participants who complete both parts of selected modules. Final session will take place at Museum of Christian Art (MoCA).


Applications require submission of a curriculum vitae or validated degree level, along with a motivation letter, through the online application link provided for the ISIPH Research Laboratories First Edition: http://bit.ly/43BGPTN


This pioneering collaboration between the Département d'Études Portugaises et Brésiliennes at Aix-Marseille Université, CHAM (Centro de Humanidades), Instituto Politécnico de Leiria, Camões IP, Fundação Oriente, Goa University, and supporting institutions including IMAF-CNRS and UNESCO represents a significant milestone in international heritage research cooperation.



 
 
bottom of page