The implementation of project BG16RFPR002-1.014-0011 “Sustainable development of “Heritage BG” Centre of Excellence” starts
The implementation of project BG16RFPR002-1.014-0011 “Sustainable development of “Heritage BG” Centre of Excellence”, financed under grant award procedure No BG16RFPR002-1.014 “Sustainable development of Centres of Excellence and Centres of Competence, including specific infrastructures or associations thereof from the National Roadmap for Scientific Infrastructure”, has started.
The leading organisation under project BG16RFPR002-1.014-0011 is Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, and the following organisations are partners:
⁃ University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy (UACEG)
⁃ Technical University of Sofia (TU-Sofia)
⁃ Vasil Levski Sports Academy (NSA)
⁃ University of Veliko Tarnovo “St. St. Cyril and Methodius” (VTU)
⁃ National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy and Geography at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (NIGGG)
⁃ Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IEFSEM)
⁃ Institute of Art Studies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IAS)
⁃ Institute for Balkan Studies with Centre for Thracology “Prof. Alexander Fol” at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBSCT)
⁃ Institute for Literature at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IL)
⁃ Cyril and Methodius Research Centre at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (CMRC)
⁃ National Library “St. Cyril and Methodius” (NLCM)
⁃ Regional History Museum – Sofia (RHM-Sofia)
The thematic area of the Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation (ISSS) targeted by CoE “Heritage BG” is “New Technologies in the Creative and Recreational Industries”.
The mission of the “Heritage BG” CoE is to contribute to the discovery, socialisation, and transformation of Bulgaria's heritage into a resource for prosperity. Living in an ancient country with historical, cultural, and natural diversity is a privilege, but also a responsibility.
The “Heritage BG” CoE transforms Bulgaria’s heritage into an economic resource for regional development through the potential of science, the use of new technologies, and the unification of the opportunities of businesses, non-governmental organisations, and local communities. The CoE contributes to the training of a skilled workforce capable of developing the tourism industry. It enables educators (such as teachers, university professors, museum researchers, etc.) to become familiar with the opportunities offered by cultural and natural heritage. The CoE contributes to connecting the economy and communities with the natural and cultural heritage through new digital products and services based on new knowledge.
The main objective of the project for the period up to 2029 is to achieve the sustainable development of the “Heritage BG” CoE and the formation of the @Heritage BG ecosystem through:
1. Efficient use of research infrastructure for scientific development and R&D.
2. Good management of research teams and improving the quality of human resources for R&D.
3. Effective international cooperation and mobility of researchers.
4. Integrating @Heritage BG into the country’s innovation ecosystem by:
– transfer of improved or new knowledge to interested organisations (business, education, NGOs) to serve for internal innovation in these organisations,
– transfer of new digital products and services to interested organisations (business, education, NGOs) to achieve innovation,
– open or authorised access to digital sites contributing to the digital transformation of interested organisations,
– sharing of metadata on heritage samples with institutions and organisations in the country and the EU,
– sharing data (e.g. on the socio-economic benefits of heritage) with institutions and other interested organisations.
5. Use of clean/green technologies in the operation of infrastructure, development of products and services.
6. Implementation of joint projects with businesses, NGOs, and municipalities.
7. Promotion of heritage through public events and active cooperation with local communities.
Building the @Heritage BG ecosystem is a complex, multi-layered, and lengthy process that combines the application of the latest digital technologies and traditional approaches to heritage management. The actors in this process are diverse – from national and local institutions to businesses and NGOs. In essence, the strategic goal of the CoE is to achieve an effective digital transformation in institutions of memory and to promote the implementation of new approaches in heritage management, thereby realising its economic and social benefits.
The work packages under project BG16RFPR002-1.014-0011 “Sustainable development of “Heritage BG” Centre of Excellence” are as follows:
1. Promoting the Bulgarian cultural heritage and its socialisation through new technologies.
2. Natural heritage as a resource for socio-economic development.
3. A model for the socio-economic benefits of cultural and natural heritage at the regional level (along the valley of the Mesta River).
4. Economic and social benefits of heritage through the transfer of knowledge, technology, and products.
The activities planned under the project BG16RFPR002-1.014-0011 are implemented through the infrastructure built under the project BG05M2OP001-1.001-0001 “Construction and development of “Heritage BG” centre of excellence”, financed under the Operational Programme “Science and Education for Smart Growth” 2014–2020, Priority Axis 1 “Research and Technological Development”, co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)”. The infrastructure modules are as follows:
1. Central Research Laboratory for Documentation and Modelling of Immovable Cultural Heritage /CRL-DMICH-UASG, Sofia, 1 Hristo Smirnenski Blvd.
2. Central Research Laboratory for Conservation and Restoration of Immovable Cultural Heritage /CRL-CRICH-UASG, Sofia, 1 Hristo Smirnenski Blvd.
3. Social innovation, recreational humane design and niche tourism – NSA and ROME, Sofia, h.e. Ovcha kupel, Ovcha kupel Bath
4. Laboratory “Digitisation of Intangible Cultural Heritage” – IEFSEM/ BAS, Sofia, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str., bl. 6, fl. 7 and 8
5. Laboratory “Digitisation of movable cultural heritage” – IEFSEM/ BAS, Sofia, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str., bl. 5
6. Laboratory “Digitisation of Ethnographic Archives” – IEFSEM/ BAS, Sofia, 6A Moskovska Str.
7. Laboratory “Interactive Map of the Arts in Bulgaria” – IAS/ BAS, Sofia, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str., bl. 5a.
8. Laboratory “Virtual Map of Bulgarian Literature” – IL/ BAS, Sofia, 52 Shipchenski Prohod Str., bl. 17, fl. 7–8.
9. The Virtual Cluster “Cyrilometodikon” – CMRC/ BAS, Sofia, 13 Moskovska Str., fl. 2
10. Laboratory for Conservation and Restoration of Documentary Heritage – NLCM, Sofia, 88 Vasil Levski Blvd.
11. Centre of Archaeometry – Sofia University, Sofia, Lozenets district, 35 Galichitsa Str.
12. Large Data Processing Centre – C, Sofia, a colocation is online
13. Laboratory “Integration Portal” – Sofia University, Sofia, 15 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., Rectorate, North Wing, room 220 and online through the “Heritage BG” Data Centre
14. Institute for Economics and Heritage Management – Sofia University, Sofia, 15 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., Rectorate, North Wing, room 220
15. Laboratory “Digitisation of Documentary Heritage” (Digital Centre) – Sofia University, Sofia, 15 Tsar Osloboditel Str., University Library.
16. Laboratory for Conservation and Restoration of Documentary Heritage – SU, Sofia, 15 Tsar Osloboditel Str., University Library – The Egg.
17. Educational TV – SU, Sofia, 49 Moskovska Str.
18. Multifunctional Hall “The Egg” – Sofia University, Sofia, 15 Tsar Osloboditel Str.
19. Two mobile laboratories (vans with portable technical equipment) for digitisation and virtualisation of sites of the cultural and natural heritage of Bulgaria – stored in the garage of Sofia University, Sofia, Lozenets district, 35 Galichitsa Str.
“Heritage BG” CoE now offers the following services for businesses, municipalities, and NGOs:
⁃ Virtual and physical adventure games based on local legends, history, and culture
⁃ Digitisation of objects with different scope, origin and structure
⁃ Identification of the origin of different types of objects through archaeometry technologies
⁃ Innovative Information Architecture for SMEs Online Services
⁃ Innovative digital guides for the needs of the tourism industry
⁃ Intelligent adaptive system for the protection of information in local networks
⁃ Consulting services for the needs of the film industry and documentaries
⁃ Consulting services for the preservation or restoration of immovable heritage
⁃ Consulting services for social innovation, recreational human design and niche tourism
⁃ Social media marketing
⁃ Modelling of buildings using 3D technologies
⁃ Online system for company training
⁃ Legal and Ethical Framework to Regulate the Use of Artificial Intelligence in SMEs
⁃ Preventive conservation for the preservation of objects on paper
⁃ Provision of digital products for the needs of the media (electronic, printed)
⁃ Provision of digital products from the archives of the CoE
⁃ Provision of information products (including brochures and videos) for the needs of the offered tourist products
⁃ Provision of educational products and services to improve the qualification of staff
⁃ Developing and maintaining an intelligent archiving system with tape drive and robotic automation
⁃ Development of video and audio materials for SME productions or services
⁃ Development of marketing materials based on sites of Bulgarian heritage
⁃ Development of new tourist routes, linked to sites of the cultural, historical, and natural heritage
⁃ Product development for advertising campaigns
⁃ Product development for social innovation, recreational human design, and niche tourism
⁃ Content development for a hotel smart TV channel
⁃ Rendering 3D Models
⁃ Restoration and conservation of paper media
⁃ Certification of the qualification level of personnel
⁃ Information Archiving System
⁃ Information Storage and Sharing Management System
⁃ Multimedia material creation
⁃ High-Performance Computing (HPC) Services
⁃ Services for immovable cultural monuments
⁃ Other, negotiable
More information about the services of the “Heritage BG” CoE: https://s2b.nacid.bg/.
More information about the activities of the “Heritage BG” CoE, the progress of the project and contact details:
https://www.nasledstvo.bg/
https://portal.nasledstvo.bg/
https://www.facebook.com/nasledstvo.bg/?locale=bg_BG
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2sJGH_3HNJR8TYUuzoyizA
project@nasledstvo.bg
