UCL has a long history of projects that merge computational techniques with humanities disciplines going back to the 1970s with prominent researchers in the fields of computational linguistics and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). The 1990s saw the establishment of several research groups at UCL in areas relevant to digital humanities such as in spatial analysis (CASA) and human computer interaction (UCLIC). These centres have contributed to advancements in urban science, human-computer interaction, and digital heritage preservation. UCL’s expertise in medical physics and computer vision has also played a role in digital humanities research, with projects focusing on heritage imaging and manuscript digitisation.

An important milestone was the establishment of the UCL Centre for Digital Humanities (UCLDH) in 2010, aiming to create a vibrant interdisciplinary research hub dedicated to exploring the intersection of digital technology and the humanities. It is a virtual centre consisting of people rather that buildings. The plan was not to take ownership of the many related activities across the college but to acted as a central hub to bring people together to share experiences and expertise. The centre developed the collaborative and community aspect of our work across departments and faculty at UCL. It also established links and partnership with other institutions in London, the UK, and globally.

Part of this development was the graduate programme in digital humanities offered by the Department of Information Studies at UCL. This programme has a strong emphasis on cultural heritage and the application of innovative digital methods to the study of the humanities more widely. On our programme the students develop strong technical as well as theoretical and critical skills. The feedback from both students and employers have made it clear that these skills made their CVs stand out against those of other humanities students and give our graduates an advantage in the job market. The ability to learn and teach oneself technology is a lifelong skill, as is the programme’s focus on developing cognitive ability and new ways of thinking.  Whenever appropriate we also involve the students in the centre and, where possible, in our research too. In addition, our members have published books and articles that have been widely cited as well as having strong representation at international conferences.

The programme has always attracted an international cohort of students with the majority being non-native speakers of English. However, the 2016 Brexit referendum result had a significant impact on European student recruitment to all British programmes which led to a decline in their numbers. In their place came a growing number of Chinese applicants, and they have become the largest single group of students on our taught programme.

This changed the pedagogical needs of the classroom because we could no longer assume that most of our students had a British or European education or preferred learning styles. What these conditions created was a cohort of students with very diverse, but culturally specific interests. This diversity is of course very welcome for any educator. Where it posed a challenge, was in the students’ own self-awareness of how their interests were linked to their culture of origin, and what else was out there that they might like to explore. They generally did not realise that other students in the classroom had such different interests and previous experiences, or different hopes about where their degree could take them. The teaching team recognised this challenge, and wanted to consider how students could build this self-awareness of their interests and blind spots. In addition, how they could use their time at UCL to expand their horizons to understand how other cultures were using or planning to use technology in the cultural sectors. Students in the West are often unaware about how much work goes into multilingual technologies in the rest of the world. Students on the programme are challenged to become aware of their digital positionality, and to be globally focused technology professionals. This has been a natural evolution of the programme, designed to empower students with skills that can help them make an impact on the world stage through a deeper understanding of technology’s connections to local cultures.

The growth of UCLDH coincided with an increase in Chinese students, reflecting UCL’s efforts to build connections in East Asia. UCLDH’s engagement with Chinese researchers and institutions has strengthened its global presence and fostered cross-cultural understanding. UCL’s connection with Chinese DH has been strengthened through collaborations with institutions like Peking University. Projects such as the Central Asian Archaeological Landscapes (CAAL) project and the Early Rice project highlight UCL’s contributions to the digital preservation and analysis of cultural heritage in China.

Understanding the history of digital humanities at institutions like UCL is crucial for shaping the future of the field. By reflecting on past successes and challenges, the digital humanities community can work towards a more inclusive and sustainable future, promoting diversity and overcoming barriers to equality. This knowledge empowers us to actively work towards creating a community that not only celebrates diversity but also actively seeks to overcome the barriers that hinder equality, diversity, and inclusion. In this way we can use research and teaching to empower global engagement by overcoming obstacles and cultural barriers to allow a greater understanding towards a more inclusive and sustainable future.