History

Launched in 2016, the consortium seeks to coordinate and organize the dissemination of academic discovery across various entities who share the common goal of better understanding, protecting, and enhancing San Antonio’s five Spanish Colonial Missions. Through the consortium, more than 20 UTSA scholars whose work includes a focus on the city’s missions—plus researchers from an additional 10 universities across four states—have engaged decision makers responsible for the missions’ care to become active partners in shaping a research agenda. Next steps for the group include seeking capacity-building funds to ensure long-term viability.

Purpose

The San Antonio Missions Research Consortium facilitates and simplifies communication between managers of the San Antonio Missions World Heritage site and academic scholars regarding needs for research and collaborations of mutual benefit, and promotes exemplary scholarship.

Mission

The San Antonio Missions Research Consortium exists to study, protect and overall enhance the Outstanding Universal Values of one UNESCO World Heritage site—the San Antonio Missions. The Consortium, a group of academic scholars who have research interests and expertise of benefit to the San Antonio Missions, is hosted by the UTSA Center for Cultural Sustainability, housed within the College of Architecture, Construction and Planning.

Expertise

The San Antonio Missions Research Consortium includes:

  • A collective 25 doctoral degrees and 10 terminal degrees in fields that include anthropology, archaeology, architecture, art history, chemistry, economics, geography, geology, history, historic preservation, public policy, small-business development, tourism marketing, and urban planning.
  • A collective 6 centuries’ experience in fields that include anthropology, archaeology, architecture, chemistry, geography, geology, heritage tourism research, history, historic preservation, and small-business development.
  • Research projects involving more than five other UNESCO World Heritage sites globally.
  • Four decades of archaeological research activity and reports.
Entities Represented - Universities

Entities Represented - Decision Makers