iNTANGIBLE: Digitizing Intangible Cultural Heritage amidst the digital shift

<< Background >>The main reason to implement the project was to increase awareness about the importance of preserving intangible heritage, that is part of the partner countries heritage, in spite of its immateriality. Intangible cultural heritage represents a feature of our lives that unites the partner countries and the European understanding as a whole. The digitization of this type of heritage poses a number of questions which we tried to find an answer to by means of this project. Considering the rapid digitization of sectors across the globe due to international lockdown measures, project partners identified the subsequent increased demand in cultural sector to specialize professionals working in the digital field and upgrade their competences. The established common national needs were as follows:-Defining and recognizing comprehensive curricula to reinforce core competencies of VET and C-VET users in digital themes. -Starting with a shared definition, develop specific systematic methodologies and procedures for digitization, presentation, and preservation of intangible cultural heritage. -Contributing to public consciousness and understanding of shared cultural heritage .<< Objectives >>Project objectives were therefore designed so to answer the identified needs:-To undertake a study of the methods, templates, and models suitable for intangible cultural products will be conducted to define a standardized framework used by the partner participating countries in digitization, presentation, and preservation of intangible cultural heritage. - To implement and develop appropriate training in cultural heritage digitization so to adapt to the digital shift - To encourage innovation in the cultural sector, aiding the application of these digital skills in their professional lives.- To develop curricula on principles and methodologies for digitizing intangible cultural heritage - To deliver such knowledge through a virtual learning platform to enhance the education and practical skills of the target groups, VET users.- To develop an accessible and creative training curriculum, content, and e-tools for less time-consuming and cost-effective learning and teaching. - To assist trainees in improving their digital skills in preparation for a work environment that is becoming increasingly standardized.<< Implementation >>1.Project management and coordination: The project leader and the partners understood it is critical that all steps and procedures are completed on time and that concrete and measurable goals are established for the project as a whole, as well as for each process and operation. This meant that all project participants showed a thorough understanding of the project's goals, priorities, outcomes, tasks, and phases. Management, quality control, and assessment of project activities were ensured throughout the project thanks to the direction provided by the Project Management Plan (P1), Evaluation and Quality Assurance Plan (P2), Dissemination Plan (P3), and Sustainability and Exploitation Plan (P4). To build a solid base, all materials were jointly created, all partners contributing to the process.These plans explicitly stated and set the project's guidelines, as well as the partners' duties, mission andresponsibility distribution, risk mitigation processes.2.Elaboration of project resultsAll partners contributed thoroughly and responsibly to the creation of the project results.3.Undertaking of training activitiesA 6h online training followed by an onsite training were carried out as part of the training activities necessary to increase the digital skills of cultural professionals4.Communication and dissemination of project resultsAll partners contributed to the dissemination of the project results, organizing each a multiplier event to ensure the presentation of project results to the local communities.<< Results >>The project goal was to create a methodology and educational package focused on ICH digitisation that can be further used as a tool by cultural workers who want to develop their digital skills in their professional field. This task was completed using an integrated strategy. The consortium began by conducting a Field and Desk Research on the needsof Cultural Creatives in ICH digitization (R1). Although a preliminary needs analysis was completed during the proposalwriting, the survey identified gaps which consequently needed to be examined in greater detail. Moreover, the first result focused on the needs of cultural workers as well as the existing literature, theory and methodologies surrounding the subject of ICH digitization. The findings were then incorporated into the Framework and Guidebook on ICH Digitization which formed the second result, accompanying the training course. All the project results were then integrated into the project's e-learning framework, that is the third result, serving as both an online training platform and as digital archiving map for participants to digitally archive ICH on a collectively created digital community map.