SOI (School on Internet) Asia’s Initiatives in Digitizing Cultural Resources in the Asia-Pacific Region

Abstract

While Open Science (OS) is driving the digitization of cultural resources (for preservation, sharing, and utilization) globally, progress in the Asia Pacific region (APAC) remains limited. APAC’s rich diversity in ethnicity, religion, and language presents unique challenges, hindering comprehensive digitization efforts. This paper outlines the development of an OS infrastructure specifically for digital humanities within the SOI Asia project, which fosters internetbased research and education collaboration across APAC. Focusing on 1) Sustainable Digital Archives and Preservation of Cultural Heritage, 2) Advancing Research Through Collaboration and Methodology Sharing, and 3) Affordable Digital Resource Access, this initiative is digitizing tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Examples include traditional Nepalese musical instruments, ancient temples in Malang City, Indonesia, and a collection of tombstones in Aceh Province. This paper details the project’s background, overview, progress and future directions.