July 7, 2025 marks a historic milestone for Cyprus and for research in cultural heritage. The Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) officially launches the MNEMOSYNE Research Centre for Digital Cultural Heritage during a high-level event held at the Cultural Foundation of the Bank of Cyprus in Nicosia. This is the first centre of its kind in the region. MNEMOSYNE is a strategic infrastructure supported by the Cypriot government and funded through 2028.

A Landmark Inaugural Event

The inauguration ceremony brought together influential figures from the political, academic, diplomatic, and cultural spheres, including:

• Prof. Dr. Vasiliki Kassianidou, Deputy Minister of Culture

• Mr. Constantinos Kleovoulou, Director of Research at the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy

• H.E. Martin Hagström, Ambassador of Sweden to Cyprus

• Mr. Chrysanthos Pissarides, President of CY-ICOMOS

• Mr. Constanti Constantinos, President of the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber

• Dr. Nicolas Tsapatsoulis, Vice-Rector for Research and Education at CUT

• Dr. Michalis Sirivianos, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering

• Dr. Kenneth Silver, Curator of the Cypriot Antiquities Collection at the Medelhavsmuseet in Sweden

• Mrs. Betty Charalampopoulou, representative of the MNEMOSYNE Centre Council

In her opening speech, the Deputy Minister of Culture emphasized that “this ambitious new centre aims to make Cyprus a global reference point for the preservation of cultural memory” while reaffirming the government’s full support for this pioneering initiative.

 

 

A Decade of Scientific Research Rewarded

MNEMOSYNE builds on the legacy of the Digital Heritage Research Lab (DHRLab), founded in 2012 at CUT. Despite the challenges posed by the financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, the DHRLab has reached the top tier of European research thanks to highly competitive EU funding and has gained international recognition:

• UNESCO Chair on Digital Cultural Heritage (2018)

• EU ERA Chair – CUT is the first institution worldwide to hold both chairs in the same field

• EU Innovation Award (2018)

• Ranked among the top 5 most transformative projects out of over 30,000 EU-funded projects (2009–2019)

• Lead institution for the EU VIGIE 2020/654 study, which set official 3D digitization standards

• Award from the European Cultural Tourism Network (2023)

The official decree establishing the Centre was published in the Official Gazette of the Republic on June 20, 2025.

An Interdisciplinary Ecosystem

The MNEMOSYNE Centre brings together several labs:

• Digital Heritage Research Lab – Specializing in digital documentation, modeling, and preservation

• Earth Observation for Cultural Heritage Lab – Using satellite imagery, drones, and ground sensors to analyze archaeological landscapes

• Mechanical Engineering Design & Additive Manufacturing Lab – Focused on high-precision digital reconstruction and fabrication

In addition, the Centre collaborates with the Robotics Control and Decision Systems Lab to integrate AI and autonomous robotics into automated documentation and intelligent conservation.

The “Memory Twin”: A Major Innovation

One of the Centre’s key innovations is the “Memory Twin” concept. This is an evolution of the digital twin, going beyond 3D geometry and metadata to include intangible cultural context and the emotional narratives associated with objects.

Initial results are already promising, including the digitization and digital repatriation of the largest collection of Cypriot antiquities in collaboration with the Medelhavsmuseet in Stockholm, the Cyprus’s representation in European research infrastructures DARIAH and CLARIN and over €15 million in European funding and more than 200 international partnerships formalized through agreements.

National Projects Involving the MNEMOSYNE Centre:

• Digital twin of Fikardou village

• Digitization of the last Cypriot trawler, Lambousa

• Documentation of medieval castles and towers

• PhD scholarships funded by the Municipality of Limassol and the Patriarchate of Alexandria

• Scholarship program in collaboration with the Union of Occupied Communities of Famagusta

A Sustainable Vision for Science and Culture

As a hub of digital innovation, the MNEMOSYNE Centre is poised to play a key role in transforming cultural heritage into a driver of research, education, and sustainable development.

With strong institutional support and a growing network of global partnerships, MNEMOSYNE stands as an international centre of excellence at the intersection of culture, technology, and collective memory.