7.5 hp (UmU and UU)

Spring 2025, Period 4 (online course, in English)

Technology permeates heritage collections; whether if it is used for archiving, publishing, curating, rendering, or communicating, it has transformed curation and public engagement. This transformation now extends beyond basic digitization—the conversion of analogue collections to digital, including related collections management—to digitalization—applying digital technologies to enhance data curation and engagement. Processes of digitization have resulted in a plethora of digital resources as well as activities that aim at facilitating increased access and engagement. In a world of fast-pacing technology, expectations are placed high on technologies that are only just beginning to be explored by heritage organisations.

This course envisions unlocking the future potential digital technology for meaningful heritage practices. The aim is to study the current challenges and implications that may arise to provide actionable knowledge on heritage institutions more generally, but also to potentially inspire the deeper study and implementation of digital methods and tools for historical and cultural inquiry.