XR Heritage Summer School 2026
Dates: Aug 30 – Sep 6, 2026 (on-site)
Location: Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China (30 minutes from Shanghai)
Language: English
Organizers: XJTLU Design School (Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University), Endorsed by CIPA Heritage Documentation, supported by the International Symposium on Cultural Heritage Conservation by Digitalization (CHCD) 2026
To apply: Register here
Overview
The XR Heritage Summer School 2026 is an intensive, practice-led program that explores how emerging technologies — particularly Extended Reality (XR), 3D documentation, and digital storytelling — are reshaping the way we understand, interpret, and communicate cultural heritage.
Set in the historic city of Suzhou, alongside the Grand Canal and its layered architectural landscapes, the program brings together international students, researchers, and practitioners in architecture, design, heritage studies, and computational media.
Participants will move through a complete workflow, from on-site heritage observation and data acquisition to digital asset creation, and finally to XR experience design and narrative prototyping.
The summer school is organized by XJTLU in collaboration with CIPA Heritage Documentation.
Key Dates
Early bird registration: June 15, 2026
Regular registration: July 15, 2026
Arrival: Aug 29, 2026
Workshop: Aug 30 – Sep 6, 2026
Location
- Xi’an Jiaotong–Liverpool University (XJTLU)
Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), China - Field sites include key sections of the Grand Canal cultural corridor in Suzhou
Registration fee
- Early bird (by June 15): 8,300 CNY | 1,220 USD
- Standard (by July 15): 8,900 CNY | 1,300 USD
- Late (by August 15): 9,500 CNY | 1,400 USD
Includes:
- Workshop tuition
- Working lunches
- Two dinners
- Field visits and Grand Canal tours
- Software, lab access, and documentation equipment
- Participation certificate
Please note that travel and hotel expenses are not included.
Why Join This Program
Heritage interpretation today is no longer limited to documentation or preservation alone. It is becoming a multi-sensory, interactive, and participatory experience shaped by digital tools, immersive media, and computational design thinking.
This summer school offers:
- Hands-on training in heritage documentation and scanning technologies
- Introduction to photogrammetry, 3D modeling, and digital asset workflows
- Exploration of XR platforms for storytelling and spatial experience design
- Field-based learning across key cultural sites in Suzhou’s Grand Canal corridor
- Collaboration with leading experts in digital heritage, conservation, and XR design
- Development of a group-based XR heritage interpretation project
- A dual CIPA Heritage Documentation and XJTLU certificate
- Cultural Heritage, Memory, and Digital Futures
Program Structure
- Day 1 — Heritage Context: introduction to the Grand Canal and principles of heritage interpretation
- Day 2 — Field Immersion: site visits across Suzhou’s Grand Canal heritage landscape
- Day 3 — Data Acquisition: introduction to scanning, documentation, and capture workflows
- Day 4 — Digital Assets: processing and preparing heritage data for XR use
- Day 5 — XR Introduction: tools, platforms, and defining group XR project directions
- Day 6 — Narrative Design: developing XR storytelling and user experience structures
- Day 7 — Production & Exhibition: finalizing projects and public exhibition
- Day 8 — Departure / Optional Tours: program closing and optional cultural activities
Outcomes
Participants will produce a group-based XR heritage interpretation project, which may include:
- Interactive XR narrative prototype (AR/VR/web-based)
- 3D heritage asset pipeline
- Storyboard and experience design documentation
- Public exhibition presentation
Selected works will be showcased in a final public exhibition at XJTLU Design School.
Who Should Apply
This program is designed for:
- Architecture students and researchers
- Digital media / interaction design students
- Heritage conservation and cultural studies students
- Computational design and XR practitioners
- Early-career researchers interested in digital heritage
No prior XR experience is required, but familiarity with design tools or spatial thinking is recommended.
To apply: Register here
