Cultural Heritage Sustainability through Teaching and Learning: A University–PADAT Collaborative Approach

Abstract

With over 7 million inhabitants, Selangor is the most developed and densely populated state in Malaysia and possesses a rich cultural heritage. The Perbadanan Adat Melayu dan Warisan Negeri Selangor (PADAT) is the Selangor state-owned agency responsible for documenting, preserving, and promoting Selangor's cultural heritage. As a museum-based heritage institution, PADAT is often perceived primarily as a space for displaying artefacts. Such perceptions, however, tend to underrepresent the evolving educational functions of museums and heritage institutions, particularly their roles in facilitating learning, knowledge transmission, and community engagement. In recent years, museums worldwide have shifted from being object-centred institutions to becoming active educational spaces that support learning. Despite this shift, the pedagogical function of state-level heritage institutions in Malaysia, particularly through structured collaboration with Malaysian universities, has received limited scholarly attention. Since its establishment in 2009, PADAT has implemented a range of education-focused initiatives to sustain cultural heritage through collaboration with both public and private universities. This study aims to examine the collaborative efforts that support the transmission of Selangor’s cultural heritage, particularly through both formal and informal teaching and learning. This study employs qualitative methods, including document analysis, participant observation, and interviews with PADAT officials and academics from selected universities in Selangor. The findings show that collaborations between PADAT and universities employ a teaching and learning approach that integrates hands-on experiences, professional knowledge sharing, and community engagement across both formal and informal settings. These initiatives provide meaningful learning experiences for students while facilitating knowledge transfer and the broader dissemination of local cultural heritage. Overall, the study demonstrates that higher education institutions play a crucial pedagogical role in advancing the sustainability of cultural heritage through education-based collaboration.