3D-4CH (Online Competence Center in 3D for Cultural Heritage) is a project funded by the European Union under the Digital Europe Programme. It aims to transform how Cultural Heritage is digitised, preserved, and shared, fostering the use of 3D technologies in research, education, and society.

Over a 36‑month period, the project will establish an Online Competence Center to support cultural institutions in adopting advanced technologies for Cultural Heritage digitisation. The Center will offer access to knowledge resources, certified training opportunities, consolidated tools and services, and updates on current research and developments. It will also provide researchers, educators, and businesses with a collaborative platform to share news and propose courses, learning materials, and certification tools.

More than a digital platform, the Competence Center is conceived as a dynamic hub for innovation, training, and collaboration in the field of technologies applied to Cultural Heritage. Through an active network of professionals, researchers, and institutions, the project seeks to make 3D technologies more accessible, integrated, and sustainable.

The Center will focus on four main pillars:

• Training and capacity building: interactive online courses, workshops, and seasonal schools designed to train professionals in the field, with certified pathways in cooperation with universities and research centers.
• Services and tools: a curated showcase of state‑of‑the‑art resources, guidelines, and tools dedicated to 3D digitisation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Extended Reality (XR).
• 3D Deployment: creation and enhancement of high‑quality 3D content following metadata, paradata, and sustainable archiving standards.
• Research and development: collaboration with leading European infrastructures to ensure the uptake of next‑generation technologies in Cultural Heritage preservation.

As a project partner, 3D Research contributes its solid expertise in 3D digitisation, XR content creation, and the development of interactive platforms for Cultural Heritage access and enjoyment. It also takes part in defining standards and workflows for data quality assurance, designing training modules, and integrating the Center with existing European infrastructures, strengthening its capacity to deliver innovative and interoperable solutions.

3D‑4CH aims to build a robust and sustainable digital infrastructure capable of:

• Providing guidelines and scientific validation through an International Advisory Board.
• Offering a broad catalogue of open resources and tools dedicated to 3D.
• Ensuring a long‑term sustainability strategy based on open access and interoperability.
• Becoming a global model for collaboration and technological innovation in Cultural Heritage preservation.

Through this initiative, the project seeks to redefine the future of digital conservation and enhancement, uniting technology and culture to make Europe’s heritage more accessible and inclusive.