Abstract
Gastronomic heritage constitutes an essential component in the construction of identities, collective memory, and cultural sustainability. Nevertheless, within university education it is often addressed in a fragmented manner, reduced to technical training and stripped of its sociocultural dimension. This limitation creates a gap between culinary knowledge and processes of cultural, community, and territorial appropriation. In response to this scenario, the present study proposes a university-level training model for the teaching of gastronomic heritage grounded in the principles and strategies of socio-cultural animation. The aim is to strengthen both professional and human competencies, including creativity, collaboration, intercultural sensitivity, and social commitment. The research was conducted through a participatory approach, implementing workshops, collective diagnostics, and reflective practices with three groups of gastronomy students. The findings reveal a positive assessment of the model among participants, highlighting its potential to foster meaningful, inclusive, and socially engaged learning, as evidenced in perception matrices. It is concluded that socio-cultural animation provides an innovative and relevant pathway for articulating higher education in gastronomy with the preservation, transmission, and revitalization of cultural heritage, in alignment with the Sustainable Development goals.
Key words: Higher educat ion; Intercultural competences; Meaningful learning; Heritage education; Cultural sustainability
