XR Heritage Summer School 2026
Faculty & Experts
Dr. Mario Santana Quintero
Professor in Architectural Conservation and Sustainability, Carleton University | Honorary President ICOMOS, ISPRS, CIPA Heritage Documentation Scientific Committee | Co-chair, UNESCO Chair for World Heritage Convention, Faculty Carleton Immersive Media Studio (CIMS)
Expert in heritage recording, 3D documentation, risk preparedness, adaptive reuse, and digital conservation workflows for cultural heritage sites.
Dr. Chloe Pei
CIPA Heritage Documentation Expert Member | Former Deputy Secretary-General, ICOMOS China Scientific Committee of Cultural Heritage Conservation by Digitalization | Former Secretary-General, Sino-Hellenic Digital Heritage Joint Laboratory | Former Creative Director and International Affairs Director, Tsinghua Heritage Institute for Digitalization
Her work focuses on the application of contemporary digital technologies in the conservation, management, presentation, and dissemination of cultural heritage.
Dr. Marc Aurel Schnabel
Dean of Design School, XJTLU
Renowned expert in digital design, digital transformation, and extended reality environments, with a distinguished career in architecture and design education spanning over 25 years.
Dr. Yiwen Wang
Senior Associate Professor, Urban Planning Department, XJTLU
Researches cultural heritage, urban history, and interpretation of historic landscapes in China,
focusing on their interpretation through contemporary narratives.
Yang Liu
Expert | Digital Heritage & Content Creation
Specializes in historic cities, working primarily in video to integrate urban heritage research with digital workflows, heritage data systems, and visual storytelling for a public-facing audience.
Anna Vichnevetskaia
PhD Researcher, Urban Planning Department, XJTLU | CIPA Heritage Documentation Emerging Professionals Leadership Team
Focuses on cultural heritage storytelling, authentic interpretation frameworks, and audience-centered narrative design.
Application & Registration
Applications are now open. Early bird closes on May 15.
Contact
For inquiries, please contact:
Design.Events@xjtlu.edu.cn
XR Heritage Summer School 2026
Aug 30 – Sep 6, 2026
Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
Organizer: XJTLU Design School
Endorsed by: CIPA Heritage Documentation
Overview
The Digital Heritage Interpretation & XR Narratives Summer School 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 deadline: May 31, 2026
Regular registration deadline: 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 May 15): 8,300 CNY | 1,030 Euro | 1,220 USD
Standard (by July 15): 8,900 CNY | 1,100 Euro | 1,300 USD
Late (by Aug 15): 9,500 CNY | 1,200 Euro | 1,400 USD
Includes:
Please note that travel and hotel expenses are not included.
Apply Now!
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:
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:
Selected works will be showcased in a final public exhibition at XJTLU Design School.
Who Should Apply
This program is designed for:
No prior XR experience is required, but familiarity with design tools or spatial thinking is recommended.