3D-4CH Empowering Ukraine’s Heritage Digitization

How can Ukraine’s rich cultural heritage be preserved for future generations in the digital age? As part of the 3D-4CH project’s efforts to strengthen capacity building in Ukraine, our partner Pixelated Realities conducted a national survey aimed at identifying training needs and enhancing professional competencies in the use of 3D technologies for the digital preservation of cultural heritage.

The survey was designed to identify gaps in education and professional development, highlighting topics that are insufficiently covered by existing training programmes in this field. 

Who Participated in the Survey?

Among the respondents were representatives of Ukrainian museums and cultural institutions, administrations and departments, specialists in digitising movable and immovable cultural heritage as well as educators and students working in the field of digital transformation of cultural heritage. 

Key Findings: Training Needs & Gaps

Summarising the survey results, we identified the professional strengths of the participants, as well as what will be a priority in the future, namely, the lack of knowledge in the necessary areas that significantly affect decision-making on project tasks. Among the needs, respondents identified the need to deepen practical scanning skills, increase awareness of scanning types and methods, secure funding, promotion and publishing. Among the unmentioned, but hidden needs we identified are digital engagement, project management from idea to implementation, integration into business models, data storage and management.

The 56 respondents identified a wide range of digitisation projects carried out in Ukraine, and expressed their teams’ needs for further specialised training. The survey was conducted anonymously and not tied directly to any particular project or initiative. It is possible that some members of the Ukrainian digitization community were unable to participate during the survey period. Nevertheless, the projects mentioned by respondents include digitization of archival documents and museum collections, the creation of digital replicas of museum exhibits and complex objects such as zoological collections, the use of photogrammetry for documenting architectural monuments, and new ideas for developing digital museums.

What’s Next?

The findings of the survey-derived research will be used to develop training programmes in the Ukrainian language that strengthen local expertise in data capture,  processing and management for cultural heritage digitisation. Additionally, the programmes will support institutional strategies for integrating national data into the European heritage platforms, thus fostering sustainable growth of digital heritage capacity in Ukraine.