ECONCULT takes part in the CUL.T European project meeting with four working days at the University of Valencia

The Faculty of Economics of the University of Valencia hosted, from 21 to 24 April 2026, a meeting of the European project CUL.T with an intensive four-day programme devoted to STEAM training applied to the cultural sectors. Held in Second Floor, Room 2P019, the activity brought together faculty members, researchers, cultural organisations and international consortium partners in a working space focused on the exchange of methodologies, teaching contents and practical experiences linked to the relationship between culture, heritage, technology and educational innovation.

The meeting was conducted by Luz Ramirez, Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Valencia, and included a strong contribution from Econcult in the dynamisation of the sessions and in linking the project contents with research and knowledge transfer in cultural economics. The institutional opening session, held on 21 April, included interventions by Francisco Muñoz Murgui, Dean of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Valencia, Barbara Re, coordinator of the CUL.T project at the University of Camerino, and Maja Barac, Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Economics at UV.

The first day, 21 April, opened with the institutional welcome session (09:00–09:30), followed by an icebreaking activity (09:30–10:00) and a coffee break (10:00–10:30). From 10:30 to 12:30, different experiences were presented and a short needs analysis of STEAM professionals in the cultural sectors was carried out, with the participation of Mònica Pérez, Director of Bombas Gens Digital Arts Centre; Guillem Bacete, from Artcast4D and Culturalink; and Àlex Badia, from Barret Transmedia Documentary Initiatives. The session was moderated by Francesc Felipe, Econcult Research Support at the University of Valencia. Then, from 12:30 to 13:00, Maja Barac and Luz Ramirez presented the goals and contents of the Art Inspired Teaching Handbook, including the introduction and Section 2 (Foundation), with time for review, debate and questions. After the lunch break (13:00–14:30), the afternoon was devoted to Foundations of Immersive Cultural Communication and presentation of the Handbook section (14:30–15:30), under the responsibility of Culturalink, with a structure focused on spatial storytelling, UX, inclusion and ethical representation, as well as the presentation of Section 3 of the handbook (Integrated Path with Training Modules). The day continued with an individual practical session on these contents (15:30–16:15) and closed with the participant survey and plenary discussion forum (16:15–17:00).

The second day, 22 April, began with AI-powered Music and Audio Creation and presentation of the Handbook section (09:00–10:00), coordinated by the University of Camerino, focusing on generative audio tools, interactive soundscapes and ethical considerations, together with the presentation of Section 4 of the handbook (WBL and Organizational Analysis). After the coffee break (10:00–10:30), Conform led Digital Storytelling for Cultural Heritage and presentation of the Handbook section (10:30–11:45), dedicated to the potential of digital storytelling to enhance accessibility, participation and preservation of cultural heritage, as well as the presentation of Section 5 of the handbook (Final Project, Sections 5.1–5.5). This was followed by GIS for Cultural Heritage and presentation of the Handbook section (11:45–13:00), led by the University of Tirana, focusing on Geographic Information Systems applied to heritage documentation, spatial analysis, risk assessment and data-driven heritage management. After lunch (13:00–14:30), the afternoon was devoted to three individual practical micropill sessions: Artificial Intelligence-powered music and audio creation (14:30–15:15), Digital Storytelling for Cultural Heritage (15:15–16:00), and GIS for Cultural Heritage (16:00–16:45). The day ended with the participant survey and plenary discussion forum (16:45–17:00).

The third day, 23 April, focused on three areas related to immersive digital culture and video games. First, the University of Valencia delivered Design and Development of Immersive Cultural Experiences and presentation of the Handbook section (09:00–10:00), aimed at the design and prototyping of immersive cultural experiences, including platform selection, 3D navigation, MVP development and iterative testing. After the coffee break (10:00–10:30), Université Côte d’Azur presented Introduction to Video Game Design and presentation of the Handbook section (10:30–11:45), offering an overview of production structures, professional roles, game engines and the creative and technical ecosystem of the gaming industry. This was followed by Video Games Design Technologies for Cultural Heritage and presentation of the Handbook section (11:45–13:00), delivered by the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, devoted to the application of real-time game engines such as Unreal, Unity and Godot to heritage visualisation, serious game design and digital reconstruction workflows. After lunch (13:00–14:30), the afternoon included individual practical sessions on Design and Development of Immersive Cultural Experiences (14:30–15:15), Introduction to Video Game Design (15:30–16:00), and Video Games Design Technologies for Cultural Heritage (16:00–17:45), followed by the planned participant survey and plenary discussion forum.

The fourth day, 24 April, opened with the Pilot Implementation Session (09:00–10:00), under the responsibility of Université Côte d’Azur, followed by a coffee break (10:00–10:30). Conform then led Application of OER-based learning outputs (10:30–12:00), focused on the application of learning outcomes based on open educational resources. From 12:00 to 13:00, the Center Science and Innovation for Development (SCiDEV) presented Gender Equality and Inclusion in STEAM and presentation of the Handbook section, devoted to an analytical framework for promoting gender equality and inclusive practices in STEAM education, research, and cultural-technology environments. After lunch (13:00–14:30), the practical session Individual Applied Learning Task Micropill: Gender Equality and Inclusion in STEAM took place (14:30–15:15), and the meeting closed with the Final Plenary Forum and Evaluation Session (15:15–17:00).

With this programme, the Valencia meeting reinforces the collaborative development of the CUL.T project and consolidates the role of Econcult and the University of Valencia in generating methodologies, tools and teaching materials aimed at strengthening the connections between education, culture, heritage and technology in the European context.