Integrated platform solutions for the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage (cases of Samarkand and St. Petersburg)

The project in the framework of the competition ''International Academic Cooperation of HSE University''.

Leaders of the teams: Alena Suvorova, Muhtor Nasirov

Implementation period: 2024-2026. 

About the project

The rapid development of information technology opens up new opportunities for preserving and popularizing cultural heritage sites as well as creating attractive tourist products that focus on deep immersion in the history and traditions of regions. This project is a result of cooperation between the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE) and Samarkand State University named after Sharof Rashidov (SamSU). Combining the efforts of these two leading scientific and educational centers in Russia and Uzbekistan allows us to effectively use the competencies and expertise of each party. HSE University has expertise in the fields of digitalization and the preservation of cultural heritage, while SamSU possesses a deep understanding of cultural context and traditions in Uzbekistan, creating the synergy needed for the successful implementation of this project.

The interests of project participants intersect in efforts to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of two historically significant cities, while also creating conditions for the sustainable development of cultural-educational tourism. By considering the needs of various stakeholders, including local communities, it will be possible to form integrated platforms for preserving and promoting cultural heritage and strengthening the brands of St. Petersburg and Samarkand.

The result of the research will be the development of a system of models for the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage through various integrated tourism platforms. This, in turn, will not only strengthen the brands of the studied tourist destinations and increase their attractiveness to diverse target audiences, but also foster consumer loyalty. It will also involve a wide range of stakeholders in the process of preserving cultural heritage, including representatives of the socio-cultural phenomenon known as the Uzbek mahalla.

An important feature of the project is that it brings together specialists from different scientific fields, including:

• management of culture and cultural heritage;
• cultural studies and design of cultural heritage;
• development of tourism based on cultural heritage;
• cultural heritage and urban development;
• information technologies and platform solutions for the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage.

Thus, this project represents an important step towards harmonizing the interests of the cultural heritage and tourism industries, contributing to the creation of sustainable and mutually beneficial relationships between all participants in the process. Its implementation will not only contribute to the preservation and promotion of the cultural heritages of St. Petersburg and Samarkand, but also strengthen cultural ties between Russia and Uzbekistan.

The tasks of scientific research:

• The systematization of various types and formats of preservation and promotion of cultural heritage creates the basis for the development of cultural-educational tourism.

• Identification of the features of requests from various categories of users on integrated travel platforms using the examples of St. Petersburg and Samarkand.

• Formation of models for interaction between different target audiences and cultural and historical heritage, based on platform solutions.

• The study of mahallas, both as objects of tangible and intangible cultural heritage and as actors in cultural-educational tourism, eco-tourism, and community-based initiatives.

• Exploring the prospects for increasing the attractiveness of mahallas as part of the Samarkand tourism brand through the use of platform solutions.

• The formation of recommendations for the design of integrated platforms aimed at preserving and promoting cultural heritage.

• Development and testing of prototypes of digital services for the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage.

• Conducting scientific and practical events on the subject of the project.

• The development of an interdisciplinary professional development program for specialists in the field of promoting and preserving cultural heritage.

• The development of a joint Master's program in creative industries, focusing on preserving cultural heritage and developing tourism through the use of digital technologies.

• Coordinating undergraduate and postgraduate projects on topics related to the subject of the project.

The project team was divided into five groups:

• management of culture and cultural heritage:  Ekaterina Baskakova, Irina Sizova;

• cultural studies and design of cultural heritage: Dmitry Kharshak, Ivanna Lomakina;

• tourism development based on cultural heritage: Valery Gordin, Elizaveta Fainshtein;

• cultural heritage and urban development: Anastasiia Polomarchuk, Vitaliia Kutiavina;

• information technologies and platform solutions in the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage: Alena Suvorova, Valeriia Bazhkova, Elizaveta Tolstoguzova, Artem Dementev.