The Future of Heritage Education: A Pilot Project on Prehistoric Landscape Learning Through University-Community Collaboration in West Java

Yulia Sofiani1*, Pandu Radea2, and Ahmad Rizky Fauzi2

This paper presents an interdisciplinary pilot project that integrates prehistoric landscape archaeology into the History Education curriculum at Siliwangi University. The project focuses on the Citapen-Gua Aul complex in Ciamis, West Java, interpreted as a unified cultural landscape representing the dichotomy of sacred (ritual) and profane (habitation) spaces. Central to this initiative is a community-centred approach involving a long-term partnership with the Tapak Karuhun community and local village authorities. Initial phases of the project included successful field-based learning at the Citapen petroglyph site, where students engaged directly with both archaeological remains and local traditional knowledge. The project is currently expanding to incorporate Gua Aul, providing a holistic ‘Prehistoric Laboratory’ for prospective history teachers. By bridging academic research with grassroots engagement, this study evaluates how collaborative heritage management can foster historical empathy and social responsibility among students. This model offers a sustainable framework for the futures of archaeology in the Indo-Pacific, demonstrating that the survival of prehistoric sites depends on their integration into modern educational narratives and active community participation.