HERITALISE is built on advanced technologies, innovative methodologies, and ambitious research goals. However, at its core, the project is driven by people.

Researchers, heritage professionals, technologists, and coordinators across Europe are working together to rethink how cultural heritage is documented, understood, and shared in the digital age.

To bring these human stories closer to the community, HERITALISE is launching a new video series titled “Meet the Partners.” This series is designed to introduce the individuals and organisations behind the project, and explain how their work contributes to the shared vision of HERITALISE. Through short, accessible video interviews, the series offers a behind-the-scenes look at the consortium, connecting technical innovation with the people who make it possible.

Why “Meet the Partners”?

European research projects often operate across borders, disciplines, and institutions. While this diversity is a strength, it can also make projects feel complex or distant to external audiences. The “Meet the Partners” video series responds to this challenge by focusing on clarity, transparency, and connection.

Each video provides a direct voice from the consortium. Partners explain their role in the project, the challenges they are addressing, and why HERITALISE matters from their professional perspective. The aim is not to simplify the science, but to make the project more understandable and relatable for a broad audience, including cultural heritage professionals, researchers, students… And anyone interested in cultural heritage digitisation!

By highlighting individual contributions, the series also reflects one of HERITALISE’s core values: collaboration.

The project brings together expertise from architecture, geomatics, artificial intelligence, conservation, data management, ethics, and storytelling. No single partner could achieve HERITALISE’s objectives alone. Progress depends on shared knowledge, coordinated effort, and mutual trust across the consortium.

A Human-Centred Approach to Digital Heritage

HERITALISE is advancing digitisation and AI-powered tools for cultural heritage, aiming to capture both visible and hidden features of heritage assets. This includes physical characteristics, historical layers, environmental context, and intangible dimensions such as memory, use, and meaning.

The “Meet the Partners” series mirrors this holistic approach. It goes beyond institutional logos and technical deliverables to focus on people, motivations, and experiences. In doing so, it reinforces an important message: digital heritage is not only about data and technology. It is about communities, identities, and the responsibility to preserve cultural heritage in ways that are accurate, ethical, and meaningful.

The videos are intentionally concise and conversational. They are designed to complement technical publications, project reports, and conference presentations by offering a more personal perspective on the work being carried out within HERITALISE.

Launching the Series with Mikel Borràs (IDP)

The first video in the “Meet the Partners” series features Mikel Borràs, Project Coordinator of HERITALISE and representative of IDP Ingeniería, Medio ambiente y Arquitectura.

As coordinator, Mikel plays a central role in shaping the overall direction of the project. His responsibilities include ensuring coherence across work areas, aligning technical development with strategic objectives, and maintaining a strong connection between research activities and real-world needs in the cultural heritage sector.

In the video, Mikel introduces the core ideas behind HERITALISE and explains why the project goes beyond traditional digitisation approaches. He reflects on the importance of moving from isolated digital models to richer, interconnected knowledge systems that can support preservation, research, education, and reuse.

Mikel also highlights the role of collaboration within the consortium. With partners spread across Europe, each bringing distinct expertise and perspectives, coordination becomes both a challenge and a key asset. The video emphasises how HERITALISE creates a shared framework where different disciplines can work together toward a common goal.