Blog Post: Summer Institute 2026

AUEB-PRINCETON SUMMER INSTITUTE 2026

Summer Institute: Digital Humanities for Hellenic Studies - Historic Athens in 3D

6 - 10 July 2026 | Athens, Greece

For the fourth time, the UNESCO Chair on Digital Methods for the Humanities and Social Sciences and the MSc in Digital Methods for the Humanities at the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB), in collaboration with the Seeger Center for Hellenic Studies and the Center for Digital Humanities at Princeton University, and the European Digital Research Infrastructure for the Arts and Humanities (DARIAH-EU), co-organized the Summer Institute in Digital Humanities for Hellenic Studies, hosted at the Princeton Athens Center.

The program took place from 6 to 10 July 2026, and focused on creating 3D, information-enriched visualizations of the early 20th-century Vrysaki neighborhood of Athens, as it was before its demolition. Participants were introduced to key topics, approaches, and tools, such as working with spatial data, metadata and datasets, 3D modeling and reality capture, photogrammetry, the generation of 3D models from historic photographs, data annotation, and telling stories with data.

The Summer Institute was open to scholars interested in exploring digital humanities methods for representing archival information and rich narratives about historical urban spaces. It brought together an international instructional team from Princeton’s Center for Digital Humanities (CDH), Princeton University Library, the Science & Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Center (STARC) at the Cyprus Institute, the CY Cergy Université (Paris), and the MSc Program in Digital Methods for the Humanities at the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB).

The five-day program focused on the historic Athenian neighbourhood of Vrysaki, introducing participants to a range of approaches and tools for working with spatial and cultural-heritage data. The program combined theoretical discussion with hands-on work on spatial data, metadata and datasets, 3D modelling and reality capture, photogrammetry, annotation, standards and interoperability for cultural heritage, and online visualisation. Participants also explored how 3D heritage models can become interpreted objects and how data can be used to create meaningful narratives about the past.

Across the week, participants moved from exploring the history of Vrysaki, its demolition in the context of urban renewal and regeneration, and the principles of spatial humanities to generating and working with 3D heritage models. They learned about reality capture and the creation of 3D models from historical photographs, worked with annotation and standards for cultural-heritage data, and explored the Smithsonian Voyager 3D Viewer for bringing these models into an online environment. The program concluded by looking at ways of turning digital data into stories and considering how participants could take these approaches further in their own work.

UNESCO Chair on Digital Methods for the Humanities and Social Sciences is delighted to have been part of this collaborative learning environment, bringing together expertise from Digital Humanities, cultural heritage, spatial data and digital infrastructures. The Summer Institute provided an opportunity not only to develop practical skills, but also to reflect on how digital methods can open new ways of engaging with the histories, spaces and cultural heritage of Athens.

Many thanks to all the instructors and participants for a stimulating and collaborative week!