On 13-15 October, the Black Sea Universities Network Congress of 2021 (BSUN Congress) was held with the theme of ‘Role of Universities in Solving Complex Challenges’. The conference took place in Yerevan, Armenia, and was directed by Professor Vahram Ter Matevosyan, of the American University of Armenia.

Mr. Stefano Dominioni, Executive Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (EPA) and Director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes, participated online in the conference and elaborated on how the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme promotes the research in cultural heritage and tourism through its various activities and its University Network for Cultural Routes Studies.

Transdisciplinary research is at the core of the activities implemented by the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme. Academic research is also a fundamental aspect of the organisation of the programme’s main event, the Cultural Routes Annual Advisory Forum. Furthermore, the European Institute of Cultural Routes, as the Technical agency of the Cultural Routes programme, has been involved since its creation in cooperation actions with various universities and academic institutions.