Status and Advances of World Heritage Education in China's Universities

As of June 2012, 962 properties throughout the world have been inscribed on the World Heritage List by the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO, including 745 cultural, 188 natural and 29 mixed properties in 153 States Parties composed of 190 members that have ratified the World Heritage Convention up to September 2012. China holds 43 properties covering 30 cultural, 9 natural and 4 mixed properties. While as of December 2012, 259 masterpieces have been inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. The world heritage education is crucial to the protection of world heritage sites and has become an important trend of higher education at universities. This paper gives an outline of developing trend of world heritage and summarizes status and advances of world heritage education in China.