In an era where cultural heritage is increasingly preserved and shared through digital means, staying at the forefront of innovation is essential. As part of the Erasmus+ DIGISCAN programme, 8 participants from Heritage Malta’s Digitisation department attended the EuroMed 2024 Conference, one of Europe’s leading events focused on digital cultural heritage, 3D documentation, and preservation technologies.
Bringing together researchers, institutions, and cultural organisations from across Europe and beyond, EuroMed serves as an advantages chance to exchange knowledge, explore new methodologies, and align with emerging international standards in heritage digitisation. For Heritage Malta, participation in this conference was not only a learning opportunity but was also a chance to position Malta within a wider European dialogue about how we record, protect, and present our shared cultural past through digital tools. This participation offered a valuable opportunity for our team to engage with leading experts and institutions from across Europe and to explore current trends, challenges, and innovations shaping the field of heritage digitisation. The knowledge gained through this experience will contribute directly to the development of more sustainable and forward-looking digitisation strategies.
One of the key concepts discussed at the conference was the difference between Digital Twins and Memory Twins. While Digital Twins are used to create accurate, real-time digital models that can monitor the condition of an object or structure, Memory Twins, on the other hand, aim to capture the historical journey of an artefact or site, intangible narratives and documenting not only what it is today, but how it has changed over time. This approach offers a more holistic understanding of an artefact’s lifecycle and can greatly enhance documentation for both research and conservation. This idea of preserving a layered, evolving history offers exciting possibilities for long-term heritage storytelling and documentation.
Another important theme addressed the challenges of long-term digital preservation. As more institutions adopt 3D technologies, ensuring that digital models remain accessible and usable in the future is becoming increasingly important. Sessions on metadata standards, archival structures, and sustainable platforms highlighted practical solutions for mitigating risks such as data loss or software obsolescence. The conference also explored the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in heritage workflows. From automated 3D reconstruction to improved photogrammetry and image analysis, AI-driven tools are opening new possibilities for efficiency and precision in digitisation. In addition to technical developments, EuroMed showcased a number of inspiring case studies in public engagement and digital storytelling. Projects using virtual and augmented reality to reconstruct inaccessible or destroyed sites demonstrated how immersive technologies can enhance the way heritage is experienced by the public.
Finally, sessions led by Europeana and UNESCO underlined the importance of adopting common standards and working collaboratively across borders. The discussions highlighted how shared repositories and coordinated digitisation efforts can improve access, visibility, and impact at a European level, reinforcing the value of projects like DIGISCAN in contributing to this wider ecosystem.
Overall, Heritage Malta’s participation in EuroMed 2024 strengthened the Digitisation department with current best practices in 3D digitisation and digital preservation, while also encouraging connections with a broader network of cultural heritage professionals. These learnings will play an important role in guiding future digitisation initiatives, ensuring that Malta’s cultural assets are documented, preserved, and shared using the most up-to-date and sustainable methods available.
