Digital cultural heritage and the new University Policy for individual and collective growth

Properly managing and preserving our cultural heritage is essential for fostering individual and collective growth, sustainable development, and an enhanced quality of life in a peaceful, democratic society that respects diversity.

The use of digital technologies enhances interactions between communities and cultural heritage, fostering openness to new audiences, establishing new relationships and interconnections, promoting participation, and disseminating knowledge beyond academic communities.

In this regard, the University of Bologna has adopted a Policy on digital cultural heritage, which defines methodological principles for managing projects related to digitization, establishment, and preservation of digital collections of cultural assets, as well as for offering services for the use and enhancement of digital cultural heritage.

In its dual sense of native digital and digitized, digital cultural heritage is currently at the centre of European and national policies as an innovative way to enhance cultural heritage, a strategic resource from cultural and scientific, as well as environmental, social, and economic perspectives.

The University Policy promotes the management of digital collections according to international best practices and Open Science principles and incorporates the indications of the National Plan for the Digitization of Cultural Heritage (PND).

Prepared by the Central Institute for the digitization of cultural heritage - Digital Library of the Ministry of Culture following an open discussion with national cultural institutions, including the University of Bologna, the PND embraces the significantly innovative vision of the Faro Convention and the Recommendations of the European Commission on cultural heritage, integrating the latest methodologies for managing cultural heritage with those of digital transition.

The new Policy addresses the University structures responsible for the conservation and enhancement of cultural heritage, as well as the project managers of digitization initiatives arising from the activities of Departments and Research Centres.