qHeritage is a new pillar of Queen Mary University of London's award-winning student knowledge exchange programme SKETCH. We provide bespoke services to support heritage, public history, and community organisations while offering Queen Mary students a unique opportunity to make a real difference in the heritage sector.
qHeritage was established in September 2024 by Dr. David Geiringer, Senior Lecturer in Public History and Heritage for the School of History. It was formed with two related objectives, enhancing the employability of students with humanities degrees and supporting the work of local heritage organisations. qHeritage allows our students to take the skills, knowledge, and tools they have developed in their degrees and put them to use in the real world. This experience is vital for supporting career prospects, as it develops transferable skills, applied knowledge, and access to professional networks.
At the same time, many heritage organisations face challenges that can be overcome with the distinctive expertise and perspectives of our students. Our teams offer fresh and innovative solutions to the problems facing the heritage sector today.
Interdisciplinarity is at the heart of our mission. We are driven by a commitment to showing how different skills, approaches, and forms of knowledge can combine to make a meaningful impact on heritage. We are passionate about offering our students the opportunity to encounter new ideas and practices beyond their degree programmes, highlighting the benefits of thinking creatively and collaboratively across disciplinary boundaries. Consequently, our programmes are open to all students from in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
David is a Senior Lecturer in Public History and Heritage for the School of History. He is a historian of modern Britain with an interest in engaging new and diverse publics.
He collaborates with various public partners, teaches the School of History Heritage Internship modules, and directs the Queen Mary Public Humanities network.
Kanishka has a background in programme design and management across start-up, tech, and humanitarian sectors.
He is also a Founding Team member of an EdTech start-up launched in Silicon Valley. In recent years, he has helped to launch business incubators and accelerators, empowering entrepreneurs to grow mission-driven businesses.