DigiCult

Digital presentation and preservation of intangible cultural heritage Ref. no. 2019-1-BG01-KA202-062231

The Digital Agenda of the Europe 2020 Strategy set as the main objective the development of a digital single market in order smart, sustainable and inclusive growth to be generated. The cultural heritage digitization turns Europe's cultural resources into an important building block for the digital economy and provides Europe's Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) with a competitive edge. The pace of innovation, the changing nature of the sector, and the importance of culture to the European economy require the employed in the CCIs to have relevant digital skills and competences. Linking education with innovation is a necessary step towards increasing the labour market relevance of VET and promoting a more resource-efficient and competitive economy.
 
The DigiCult project aims to elaborate and promote an innovative framework for digitization and efficient and cost-effective training on digital presentation, preservation and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of Europe from a global and long-term perspective. The provision of relevant training in ICH digitization (standards and methods) will contribute to meet common challenges such as the digital shift and need of encouragement of innovation in the cultural sector as the ability for practical application of digital skills and competences is a valuable asset to any professional qualification in this domain.
 
The DigiCult beneficiaries are: 

internal beneficiaries:

• professionals from partner cultural organizations who are not involved in the direct implementation of the project's activities and outputs.
• students from the educational organisations participating in the partnership who are trained in the
• field of presentation, preservation and dissemination of intangible cultural heritage.

external beneficiaries

• staff of the institutions from the culture sector, professional networks, employers' unions, and associations which are not involved in the partnership.

The DigiCult objectives will be achieved by the following activities:

• designing the technological educational model and setting up the DigiCult virtual learning environment (VLE) based on the contemporary ICT-based educational approaches and contents;
• development of e-learning courses addressed ICH digitization and practical knowledge about the standards for digital presentation, storage and promotion aiming at improvement of their domain related digital skills;
• piloting the developed course in DigiCult VLE and collecting user feedback, given the future development of the methodology;

The main DigiCult project results are:

• Framework for common standards and models for digitization, presentation and preservation of intangible cultural heritage ;
• Training course Digitization, presentation and preservation of intangible cultural heritage ;
• DigiCult VLE – a modern educational environment where the students/VET trainees to be able to follow flexible learning paths while improving their key and transversal competences in line with the current digitization trends;
• Guide and recommendations for digitization, presentation and preservation implementation system in intangible cultural heritage ;
• Key Stakeholders Contact Database– the contact information for the identified project stakeholders in all countries involved.

The direct impact shall be as follows:

• On the educational organizations: elaborated training course in ICH digitization ready to be included in their educational curricula increasing the quality and the competitiveness of their educational product, innovative training content adapted to the needs of the CCIs;
• On the Cultural organizations: trained staff in ICH digitization, framework describing methods and standards for digitization; practical guide on how to digitize ICH object for each type of cultural organisation.
• On the direct participants and the target groups: improved competences to respond to the modern requirements, better knowledge on the ICH digitization standards, adaptability in an online training environment and better quality of the training. 

Long-term impacts:

• Framework as a base for elaborating common policy for the digitization of ICH;
• Transnational cooperation in the digitization process. 

Partnership:
Burgas Free University (Bulgaria) – Coordinator
Regional Historical Museum Burgas (Bulgaria)
DIMITRA EKPAIDITIKI SIMVILITIKI AE (Greece)
EU-Track (Italy)
DIMOS LARISEON (Greece)
LATVIJAS KULTURAS AKADEMIJAS AGENTURA (Latvia)
Associazione Canto Di Eea (Italy)
LATVIJAS ETNOGRAFISKAIS BRIVDABAS MUZEJS (Latvia)