Highlights from the CIPA 2025 Symposium in Seoul, Republic of Korea

Report by Hyeseung Shim, Symposium Director

The 30th CIPA International Symposium (CIPA 2025 Seoul) was successfully held from August 25 to 29, 2025 at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul, Republic of Korea. CIPA 2025 Seoul was jointly organised and hosted by the National Museum of Korea and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), with the support of ICOMOS International, the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS), the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Heritage Documentation (CIPA-HD), and ICOMOS Korea.

The theme of CIPA 2025 Seoul, “Heritage Conservation from Bits: From Digital Documentation to Data-Driven Heritage Conservation,” explored the evolving conservation paradigms emerging at the intersection of digital technologies and heritage conservation in the age of artificial intelligence. The symposium provided a platform to examine new possibilities and challenges arising from data-driven approaches to heritage documentation, analysis, and conservation.

CIPA 2025 Opening Ceremony, photo credit: CIPA 2025 Seoul


A truly vibrant international conference

CIPA 2025 Seoul brought together 580 experts, researchers, and practitioners from 47 countries in the field of digital heritage. Discussions focused on the growing importance of data in heritage conservation and on the current practices and future potential of digitally enabled documentation, analysis, and application across diverse heritage contexts. A total of 280 papers were accepted and presented across 42 academic sessions, including 48 papers in the ISPRS Annals Track and 232 papers in the ISPRS Archives Track, fostering vibrant scholarly exchange throughout the symposium.

Prior to the main symposium, seven pre-symposium workshops were held on August 23rd & 24th. These workshops addressed a wide range of topics, including cultural heritage data management platforms, aural heritage preservation, AI-based visitor analysis at heritage sites, Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM), AI-assisted heritage value assessment, and digital documentation strategies for enhancing heritage resilience and conservation.

The symposium featured keynote addresses by four distinguished speakers:

  • Prof. Maurizio Forte (Neuroaesthetics Advisor, Overseas Buildings Operations, U.S. Department of State; Professor, Duke University);
  • Mr. Kostas Konstantinidis (Founder and CEO of Postscriptum; China Representative, Europeana);
  • Prof. Peng Tang (Professor, Southeast University, China; Deputy Director, State Key Laboratory of Urban and Architectural Heritage Conservation, Ministry of Education of China); and
  • Prof. Mario Santana Quintero (Professor, Carleton University, Canada; Senior Fellow, UNESCO International Centre for Interpretation and Presentation of World Heritage Sites).

In addition to the regular academic sessions, three special sessions were organised during CIPA 2025 Seoul:

  • People-Centred Digital Twins for World Heritage Roundtable, led by the UNESCO Chair programme jointly initiated by Carleton University and the University of Azuay;
  • Re-imagining Digital Heritage: A Colloquium on Innovative Practices for Participation, Access, and Preservation, hosted by the National Museum of Korea; and
  • a panel session organised by the Scientific Committee of Cultural Heritage Conservation by Digitalization (CHCD) under ICOMOS China.


Record breaking attendance

To further enrich the experience of participants, CIPA 2025 Seoul also offered a range of cultural programmes, including guided tours of the National Museum of Korea, generously supported by the Museum, enabling participants to directly engage with and experience Korea’s cultural heritage.

The CIPA International Symposium, held biennially, is one of the leading international academic conferences in the field of digital heritage. CIPA 2025 Seoul marked the first time the symposium was held in the Republic of Korea, carrying particular significance as it took place at the National Museum of Korea—a venue where historical legacy and the forward-looking vision of digital heritage converge. The symposium also reaffirmed the close collaboration between ICOMOS and ISPRS, the two founding organisations of CIPA-HD, highlighting their shared commitment to advancing international standards in heritage documentation and digital conservation.

Notably, both organisational leaders—Prof. Teresa Patrício, President of ICOMOS, and Prof. Lena Halounová, President of ISPRS—attended the symposium in person, contributing to in-depth discussions on heritage documentation, scientific approaches to conservation, and technology-driven strategies for heritage use and management.

Finally, CIPA 2025 Seoul concluded with outstanding success, achieving the largest number of participants and participating countries in the history of the CIPA Symposium series. This achievement was made possible through the collective efforts and collaboration of the Organising Committee, supporting institutions, and numerous individuals. The success of CIPA 2025 Seoul not only reaffirmed the international standing of the CIPA community, but also laid a strong foundation for the Republic of Korea to play a leading role in the global digital heritage field. Building on the experiences and outcomes of this symposium, it is anticipated that these achievements will continue to contribute to sustainable heritage conservation and innovative research and practice.

CIPA 2025 Closing Ceremony, photo credit: CIPA 2025 Seoul


CIPA 2027, the 31st CIPA International Symposium will be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, carrying forward the momentum and achievements of CIPA 2025 Seoul.

Enjoy some of the memories from CIPA 2025 Seoul below. All photos courtesy of the CIPA 2025 Seoul Organising Committee.