I took part in a meeting in Lausanne from 3-4 March dedicated to the activities of the YODA project (Youth for Open Digital Acquisitions: about training in 3D heritage and best practices), in my capacity as a member of CIPA Heritage Documentation (CIPA-HD), with the aim of presenting and sharing our operational approach and our experience in the field of heritage documentation.

The meeting opened with a general introduction and presentation of the partners, which was useful in outlining the overall framework of the activities, the expertise involved, and the mutual expectations of the partners participating in the project: ULB (Brussels), UNIL (Lausanne), and Aix-Marseille Université, together with two institutional and scientific partners: the Direction du Patrimoine numérique of Belgium and CIPA Heritage Documentation (ICOMOS–ISPRS). In this context, I gave a presentation of approximately 45 minutes devoted to CIPA-HD, illustrating its nature, structure, institutional objectives, network of partners, the main activities it promotes and supports, as well as the most recurrent challenges we encounter in our work.

The meeting highlighted a strong convergence between the work carried out by CIPA-HD and the objectives of the YODA project. Both entities share the need to address the fragmentation that currently characterizes the digital heritage sector and, more specifically, the field of training and the use of 3D data applied to cultural heritage. It became clear that, at the European level, highly heterogeneous approaches still persist in terms of methodologies, tools, standards, and vocabularies, with direct consequences for interoperability, cooperation among institutions, and the creation of a genuinely shared community of practice.

Within this framework, the contribution of CIPA-HD was presented as particularly relevant to the project, thanks to its international perspective and the extensive experience it has developed in the areas of research, documentation, standardization, and best practices in the field of heritage documentation. The interest shown by the partners confirmed the value of linking YODA’s activities with the experience already consolidated within CIPA-HD, especially with regards to the dialogue between academic training and the concrete needs of institutions working in the cultural heritage sector.

The meeting therefore represented an important opportunity for exchange and alignment, strengthening the awareness that there is a shared objective: to gain a better understanding of the landscape of training in the field of 3D digital heritage, to identify gaps and overlaps, and to contribute to the definition of a common framework capable of fostering greater coherence, sustainability, and collaboration among universities, public bodies, and professional organizations.