Dicolab digital literacy project reaches 75% of target in half the time

Dicolab. Cultura al digitale, a digital literacy project for cultural professionals funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU under the PNRR Cultura 4.0 initiative, has already trained three-quarters of its target audience within one year of launch. With a budget of €20 million, the project aims to reach 30,000 cultural professionals by the end of 2025, and has already issued 25,000 open badges. The program, implemented by Fondazione Scuola dei beni e delle attività culturali and promoted by the Ministero della Cultura – Digital Library, offers free, lifelong learning courses tailored to different skill levels. By June 2026, it plans to involve over 300 teachers in more than 400 hours of training, with a catalog exceeding 150 online courses. The initiative addresses Italy's regional digital divide, with courses ranging from basic knowledge to specialized technical-legal skills, soft skills, project management, data management, and communication. Over 70,000 users have registered, with 47% aged 40–60, and 46% of enrollees are MiC operators. The blended learning model includes online and in-person activities, with 10 territorial HUBs opening in early 2025. On December 6, 2024, the Digital MAB program launched to foster digital convergence among Museums, Archives, and Libraries. Research on AI's impact on cultural professions is also underway.