NEWS
On 21 September 2026, the 6th International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE) Academic Salon was held at the Daxing Campus of Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture (BUCEA). Co-organized by ISDE and the School of Geomatics and Urban Spatial Informatics, BUCEA, the event focused on the application of digital technologies to the conservation of cultural heritage.
The event was moderated by Prof. Qiang Chen, Deputy Dean of the School of Geomatics and Urban Spatial Informatics, BUCEA, and Dr. Xian Guo, Assistant to the Dean of the School. Dr. Zhen Liu, Secretary-General of ISDE, introduced ISDE advancements and the salon series. Nearly 100 faculty members and students attended the event.
The Salon featured a presentation titled “From Monument to Memory: Mapping the Contributions of Digital Heritage” by Prof. Heba Aziz, UNESCO Chair Holder on World Heritage Management and Sustainable Tourism at the German University of Technology in Oman. Beginning with the question of what heritage conservation seeks to sustain, Prof. Aziz drew on examples including Nubia and Oman's Bahla Fort and Oasis to introduce a three-layer framework encompassing the monument, its context, and living memory. She emphasized the importance of protecting physical heritage alongside community life and cultural transmission. She then examined how Digital Twins, HBIM, laser scanning, smart visitor systems, and oral history platforms can support heritage conservation and management. Her presentation highlighted the need to combine digital documentation with continued support for traditional skills and communities’ connections to their heritage, placing community participation at the heart of heritage sustainability.
The Salon offered new perspectives on how digital technologies can support heritage conservation and cultural transmission, providing a platform for interdisciplinary exchange between Digital Earth and cultural heritage research. Launched on 20 November 2023, the ISDE Academic Salon series enriches the Society’s academic activities and will continue to promote dialogue and knowledge sharing through collaboration with universities and research institutions.
