Azerbaijani Culture Ministry initiates digitalisation of culture

The e-Culture Digital Development Strategy (2024-2026) of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan was approved by the relevant decision of the Collegium of the Ministry of Culture, Azernews reports.

It was stated that in the modern era, digital technologies rapidly involve all areas of the socio-economic system of our country and people's daily activities, becoming an integral part of socio-economic relations and characterising the digitization of culture.

In this regard, the multi-faceted activities of the Ministry of Culture, regulatory subjects covering the entire territory of the country, and a wide cluster network (theatre, library, museum, nature reserve, creative industries, audiovisual, performing arts, tangible and intangible cultural heritage, cultural-educational institutions, etc.) are accompanied by the production of large volumes of information and require the implementation of management in this area by applying a data-based digital management model.

Taking into account the special importance of organising and coordinating activities in the field of digital management, a working group on improving digital management was established in the Ministry of Culture.

Analyses in the cultural sector were conducted by the working group, the local and international experience was studied in the direction of digitalization of culture, goals, priority directions, main clusters in the field, and relevant modules for each cluster were determined by analysing the current situation and international experience. e-Culture matrix was formed by the algorithmic crossing of clusters and modules.

e-Culture of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan was approved by the working group on improving digital management in the Ministry of Culture in accordance with the Rule of Compilation, Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation of State Programs approved by Decree No. 1294 of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated March 6, 2021. The digital development strategy (2024-2026) was developed and approved.

In the Action Plan of the e-Culture strategy, in the next 3 years, more than 100 measures will be taken in 10 priority directions for the digitization of the cultural field, the application of a data-based digital management model, a unified administrative policy, the improvement of information systems and resources, the redesign and electronicization of services, and the expansion of integration opportunities are intended to be implemented.