Structural Analysis of Monuments and Historical Construction University of Minho

Overview

SAHC ran for ten consecutive years as an Erasmus Mundus Masters Course, co-funded by the European Union. Since its origin, SAHC received about 500 students from 75 countries worldwide and more than 50 Scholars from top Universities inside and outside Europe. SAHC is now running its 16th edition as a self-sustainable Masters Course, attracting high-quality international students.

The objective of Master course in Structural Analysis of Monuments and Historical Constructions at University of Minho is to offer an advanced education programme on the engineering of conservation of structures, with a focus on architectural heritage. The main focus of this training is the application of scientific principles in analysis, innovation and practice of conservation of monuments and historical constructions worldwide.

The Masters Course has a duration of one academic year and is held on a rotating basis among partners, so each student follows coursework in one partner institution and dissertation in another one. The language of instruction and examinations is English. The degree awarded is a Master’s degree, provided as a double degree from the institutions involved.

Scholarships financed by the SAHC Consortium are available for students coming from any geographical origin. Scholarships sponsored by the European Union are not available.

Objectives 

The building industry and tourism represents about 15-20% of the GNP in Europe. As the built environment ages, conservation of existing buildings and infrastructure is receiving more and more attention, reaching an average value of 1/3 of the market in Europe. The SAHC programme will address the issue of existing buildings, but with a focus on buildings with cultural value. Being monuments and historical centres main attractors for tourism, their conservation is not only a societal demand but also an economical one.

Europe is a world leader in the generation of knowledge, methodology and technology applicable to the conservation and restoration of the architectural heritage. The large investment made during the last years lead to significant advances in experimental and numerical techniques applied to the conservation of architectural heritage structures.