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Information for Host Organizations

Being a Host

The World Heritage USA International Exchange Program (IEP) provides advanced training and hands-on experience for preservation professionals early in their careers. Hosting an intern enables an organization to establish international connections and help train future professionals through preservation work experience at a modest cost to the host organization. The IEP fosters lifelong relationships between participants and their host organizations, creating a global network of heritage professionals. Since the program’s launch in 1984 by ICOMOS-USA, these connections have resulted in continued collaboration between people, communities, and organizations on heritage projects around the world.

Public or private nonprofit heritage organizations interested in hosting an intern must formulate a project that can be completed by the intern within a 10-12 week period. The project should provide the intern with practical work experience / training and must be supervised by a designated mentor for the duration of the internship. Hosts commit to providing for all project-related expenses, arranging for intern housing, and completing two internship evaluations.

Applications for the 2025 International Exchange Program are now open! The Deadline for Hosts is January 15th, 2025

Apply

Program Schedule

Internships are approximately 12 weeks in length (including orientation and the program closing) and take place during the summer between June and August. World Heritage USA hosts all interns in Washington D.C. for a program orientation at the beginning of the summer. Interns then travel to their various host locations where they complete a 10-week preservation-related project designed by the host organization. At the end of the summer, all interns gather in Washington, D.C. for a final debriefing and farewell program.

Important Dates for 2025:

November 1 (2024) – Applications open
January 1 – Deadline for Intern Applications
January 15 – Deadline for Host Applications
February – March – Interns are matched to hosts; Hosts approve placements; Final selections are made
March 14 – Deadline for interns to accept placements
March 28 – All signed agreements in place
June 11 –13 – Intern orientation in Washington D.C
June 16 – August 22 – Internship at the host organization
August 23 – Interns return home
September 5 – Virtual closing ceremony

Become a Host Organization

Apply

Host Responsibilities

To ensure the success of the internship, IEP host organizations will:

  • Formulate a project (or series of smaller projects) that the intern can complete within the 10-12 week period.
  • Provide for all project-related expenses, including out-of-pocket expenses that may be incurred by the intern during the course of the internship (such as transportation to and from the work site, project materials, etc.)
  • Provide assistance and/or arrange for housing for the duration of the internship (Note: interns pay for their housing out of their stipend. If the host organization is able to provide subsidized or free housing, the host contribution to World Heritage USA and the intern’s stipend can be reduced).
  • Monitor the intern and provide supervision as would be done for a paid employee.
  • Include the intern, whenever possible, in meetings, outings, and extra-curricular activities. An important aspect of the internship is meeting other preservation professionals and exploring the host country, its culture, and customs.
  • Complete two evaluations (using online forms provided by World Heritage USA)

Host Expectations

Host Organizations in the U.S. are expected to contribute funding to World Heritage USA to support intern costs. The contribution amount is based on such factors as cost-of-living in the host city, provision of free or reduced-cost housing, etc.

Host Organizations Abroad are expected to provide financial or logistic assistance, such as free or low-cost room and board. In some cases, World Heritage USA may be able to obtain grant support to provide supplemental funds for overseas internships.

All Host Organizations are expected to cover all work-related costs for the interns, including transportation to and from project sites if required for the internship, as well as assistance in finding housing if it is not provided. All Host Organizations are required to review applicants suggested to them by World Heritage USA for placement. If a Host Organization agrees to accept a certain applicant, they will do so in writing.

*It is highly unlikely that WorldHeritage USA will be able to support placements with Host Organizations that do not contribute financial or in-kind support for an intern. World Heritage USA works to defray these costs through grants and donations, but cannot promise to do so.*

World Heritage USA (in support of ICOMOS-USA) handles all recruiting for, and review of, the applicants; provides assistance to the intern in obtaining a J-1 Visa (if required) and conducts and funds an orientation and final program for all interns in Washington, DC. World Heritage USA also handles the distribution of all stipend payments and provides supplemental travel insurance for interns. (The amount of the stipend varies, depending on the cost-of-living in different locations, availability of free or reduced-cost housing, and amount of grant support and other monetary contributions received for the exchange program.) Travel costs to and from Washington, DC and the Host location are borne by the IEP Intern unless otherwise subsidized by the IEP Host and/or World Heritage USA

All Parties to the IEP (World Heritage USA, Interns, and Host Organizations) are required to sign a tripartite agreement that outlines roles and responsibilities for the placement.

Sponsor an IEP Intern!

Donate

Not ready to host but want to support the IEP in other ways?

Help World Heritage USA diversify the cultural heritage field by sponsoring an intern!

Emerging professionals around the world find it difficult to access opportunities where they can gain practical experience early in their career. Likewise, host organizations in many countries are limited in their ability to offer these opportunities due to financial constraints.

Your contribution to the IEP will give hosts and interns the financial support they need in order to provide and access professional development, advanced training, and hands-on learning in the cultural heritage sector. With your help, the IEP can offer more opportunities that facilitate the cross-cultural exchange of ideas and global best practices of historic preservation and heritage conservation.

In addition to strengthening professional heritage skills, the IEP fosters lifelong relationships between interns and their host organizations, creating a global network of heritage professionals. Together, we can continue this legacy and create a cultural heritage field that is more robust, diverse, and impactful than ever before.

Previous Host Organizations

U.S. Host Organizations

Local Organizations and Educational Institutions

    • Clemson University, Charleston (SC)
    • General Services Administration, Center for Historic Buildings (DC)
    • Historic Preservation Office, City of San Antonio (TX)
    • Institution for the History of Technology and Industrial Archaeology at West Virginia University (WV)
    • Northwestern State University of Louisiana (LA)
    • Office of Historic Preservation, Annapolis, (MD)
    • Savannah College of Art & Design (GA)
    • University of Florida’s Preservation Institute, Nantucket, (MA)
    • World Heritage Office, City of San Antonio (TX)

National Park Service

    • Alaska Regional Office (AK)
    • Applied Archaeology Center (DC)
    • Cape Hatteras National Seashore (NC)
    • Channel Islands National Park (CA)
    • Columbia Cascade Support Office (WA)
    • Denver Service Center (CO)
    • El Morro National Monument (NM)
    • Fredrick Douglass National Historic Site (DC)
    • Fort Davis National Monument (TX)
    • Fort Union National Monument (NM)
    • Gettysburg National Military Park (PA)
    • HABS/HAER/HALS (Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey (Various)
    • Historic Architecture Office (DC)
    • Independence National Historical Park (MA)
    • Intermountain Cultural Resources Office (CO)
    • Lowell National Historical Park (MA)
    • Mesa Verde National Park (CO)
    • Mid-Atlantic Regional Office (PA)
    • National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (LA)
    • National Capital Area System Support Office (DC)
    • National Capital Region (DC)
    • Pecos National Historic Park and the Lake Mead National Recreational Area (AZ)
    • Preservation Assistance Division (DC)
    • Presidio Planning Team (CA)
    • Rocky Mountain Regional Office (CO)
    • San Antonio Missions National Historic Park (TX)
    • Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail (AL)
    • Southwest Regional Office (NM)
    • Williamsport Preservation Training Center (WV)

Non-Profit Organizations

    • Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (VA)
    • Cornerstones Community Partnerships (NM)
    • Dayton Society of National History (OH)
    • Henry Ford Museum (MI)
    • Historic Charleston Foundation (SC)
    • Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana (IN)
    • Inspired Partnerships of Chicago (IL)
    • National Trust for Historic Preservation (DC)
    • New York Landmarks Conservancy (NY)
    • Sage Memorial Hospital/Historic Ganado Mission (AZ)
    • The Presidio Trust (CA)
    • Trinity Boston Preservation Trust, Boston (MA)
    • Tudor Place Foundation (DC)

Private Firms

    • Goody Clancy Associates (Boston, MA)
    • RMJM/Hillier (Philadelphia, PA)
    • Wiss, Janney, Elstner, Inc. of Chicago, (IL)

State Organizations

    • Indiana Division of Historic Preservation & Archaeology (IN)
    • Jekyll Island Museum, Jekyll Island (GA)
    • Massachusetts Department of Environment (MA)
    • Puerto Rico State Historic Preservation Office

International Host Organizations

Australia

  • Aboriginal Heritage Division, National Parks & Wildlife Service
  • Australia Heritage Commission, Canberra
  • Element Advisory, Perth
  • National Parks & Wildlife Service, New South Wales

Austria

  • Bundesdenkmalamt, Vienna

Belgium

  • Ename Center, East Flanders

Bulgaria

  • ICOMOS Bulgaria National Committee
  • National Institute of Monuments of Culture, Sofia

Chile

  • CONPAL

China

  • Shanghai Landscape Architecture Design Institute

Croatia

  • Mediterranean Centre for the Built Heritagem Split

Cuba

  • Centro Nacional de Conservacion, Restauracion y Museologia (CENCREM)

Ecuador

  • ICOMOS Ecuador National Committee

Former Soviet Union

  • ICOMOS Soviet Union
  • I.E. Repin Institute of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture, Leningrad
  • Spetsproyectrestavratsiya Institute (Restoration Institute), Moscow

France

  • ICOMOS Documentation Centre
  • ICOMOS World Heritage Unit

Georgia

  • ICOMOS Georgia National Committee

Germany

  • ICOMOS Federal Republic of Germany

Ghana

  • ICOMOS Ghana
  • Ghana Heritage Conservation Trust
  • Ghana Museums and Monuments Board, Cape Coast
  • Municipality of Cape Coast

Hungary

  • Institute of Historic Monuments, Mad
  • Orszagos Muemleki Felugyloseg, Miscolc

India

  • Beyond Built Pvt. Limited
  • Cultural Resource Conservation Initiative (CRCI)
  • Center for Heritage Conservation (CEPT Research and Development Foundation)
  • DRONAH
  • ICOMOS India
  • Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH)
  • Space Matters
  • Vasaamaha Architects

Ireland

  • Galway County Council

Israel

  • ICOMOS Israel
  • Old City of ACRE

Italy

  • ICCROM, Rome
  • International Conservation Center–Città di Roma

Jamaica

  • Falmouth Heritage Renewal

Jordan

  • American Center for Oriental Research
  • ACOR
  • Hashemite University of Jordan
  • Petra National Park

Kosovo

  • Kosovo Council for Cultural Heritage

Lithuania

  • FIXUS Mobilis
  • Institute for Monuments Restoration
  • Valstybes Imone “Lietuvos paminklai”

Malta

  • Ministry of the Environment

Pakistan

  • Conservation and Rehabilitation Center, Lahore

Philippines

  • Heritage Conservation Society, Manila

Poland

  • Board of Historical Gardens and Palaces, Osmolice (outside Lublin)
  • Centre for Preservation of Historical Landscapes, Leknica
  • National Center for Research and Documentation

Portugal

  • Coa Valley Archaeological Park

Romania

  • Transylvania Trust Foundation

Russia

  • Russian Union of Youth (Moscow and Yaroslavl)
  • Pertropavloski slobada, Yaroslavl

Slovakia

  • Institute of Monuments, regional office in Banska Stiavnica
  • Academia Instropolitana Nova

South Africa

  • Northern Cape Provincial Department of Sport, Arts & Culture
  • REHaBCO

Sweden

  • Stockholm City Museum

Trinidad and Tobago

  • National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago

Turkey

  • ICOMOS Turkey
  • National Palaces Organization
  • United National Habitat II (City Summit)
  • Yildiz Technical University

United Kingdom

  • Brecon Beacons National Park
  • British Historic Buildings Trust
  • Buildings at Risk Trust
  • Cadw-Welsh Historic Monuments
  • Cornwall County Council
  • Corporation of the city of London
  • Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust
  • English Heritage
  • Essex County Council Planning Department
  • The Georgian Group, Ltd.
  • Ironbridge Gorge Museum
  • Joint Committee, National Amenity Societies and the Countryside Commission
  • Museum of London
  • National Heritage Memorial Fund
  • Peak National Park
  • Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
  • Royal Commission on Historical Monuments
  • SAVE Britain’s Heritage
  • Scottish Stone Liaison Group
  • The Calne Project
  • The National Trust for England
  • The National Trust for Scotland
  • Vernacular Buildings Survey