In the 21^st and 22^nd of March 2023, The Department of Prehistory and Archaeology of the University of Seville organized a conference about Iberian borderlands, particularly in the Lower Guadiana Basin: Arqueología y Patrimonio(s) en la raya luso-andaluza: cooperación y perspectivas de futuro (transl.: Archaeology and heritage in the luso-andalusian border: cooperation and future of borderlands, Faculty of Geography and History of the University of Seville).

The conference focused on interdisciplinary views of border studies. The crosscutting overview provided an opportunity for exchanges and for transcending epistemological boundaries by putting in contact researchers of different, yet complementary, scientific areas (architects, historians, archaeologists, anthropologists, geographers and local politicians). One of the main objectives was to pave the way for further research from an interdisciplinary perspective and to discuss new directions for research projects and partnerships with academic and non-academic institutions.

The first session mainly dealt with territories and territorialities from the point of view of Medieval History, Cartography, and new technologies for the examination of territory with non-invasive methods.

The second session focused on current problems and initiatives in cross-border cooperation (demography, webs of museums, the work of TEIN and B-solutions). The round table gave the opportunity to politicians and local actors of Portuguese and Spanish border municipalities to share their expectations and concerns. This session showed how important it is to work with local actors and to shorten the distance between universities and local communities.

The third session focused on the works of anthropologists, architects, historians, linguists, and archaeologists in border contexts. In that regard, professors from the University of Sevilla presented a Master’s project in the field of cultural heritage in the regions of Andévalo (Spain) and Alentejo (Portugal).

TEIN was very happy to contribute to the conference via a presentation of its capacity building approach and, on the organizers’ invitation, to be part of the scientific committee of the event!