In recent years, Blekinge Institute of Technology, Karlskrona Municipality, and other organizations in the World Heritage Council have collaborated to expand the number of student projects. Collaboration has taken place across various programs, with the majority in mechanical engineering.

Through the partnership between the university and the World Heritage site, students have had the opportunity to apply their knowledge and creativity to address specific challenges and needs relevant to the preservation and development of Örlogsstaden Karlskrona. These initiatives have not only strengthened the ties between higher education and cultural heritage management, but also promoted innovation and sustainable solutions to preserve and honor this significant site.

Student projects play a vital role in fulfilling the strategic goals of the Budapest Declaration on cooperation and contribute to the Agenda 2030 goals for sustainable development. The goals of the declaration, represented by the five Cs – Credibility, Conservation, Capacity Building, Communication, and Communities – focus on enhancing credibility, conservation, capacity building, communication, and community engagement around World Heritage.

Projects with students in mechanical engineering have provided an opportunity not only to use technology for preservation, but also to communicate the values of the site to citizens and visitors. These projects aim to convey the reasons why a World Heritage site is worth preserving by fostering inquiries, dialogue, creative problem-solving, and storytelling. Through this collaboration, efforts are driven forward, opening pathways for a deeper understanding and appreciation of the significance of the World Heritage site, while also engaging and involving the public in a meaningful way.

Collaboration for Sustainable Tourism
In the fall of 2022, Karlskrona Municipality and BTH collaborated to develop innovative solutions for sustainable tourism in Karlskrona. The students at BTH were enrolled in a course where they were tasked with developing innovative design solutions for real-world societal problems. Their challenge was to engage visitors, locals, and businesses to act more sustainably when visiting the World Heritage site Örlogsstaden Karlskrona and the biosphere reserve Blekinge Archipelago.

One of the solutions was an intelligent trash bin, a "Smart Bin," designed to encourage residents and visitors not to litter on the streets.

Reed more about Value Innovation projekt here