The first edition of International and Interdisciplinary Conference on Immersive Technologies in Cultural Heritage (8-10 May 2025, IHEC Sfax) explored the transformative potential of immersive technologies in the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs), particularly within the domain of Cultural Heritage (CH). The conference unites researchers, practitioners, artists, and innovators from diverse fields-including the humanities, visual arts, cinema, music, architecture, economics, and engineering-to investigate how Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), eXtended Reality (XR), and related technologies are revolutionizing how creators and audiences experience, preserve, and communicate CH. The overarching goal of the meeting is to address the intersection of digital heritage, user experience design, and creative industries through multidisciplinary perspectives into theoretical and practical applications of immersive technologies. In addition to insight generated from diverse perspectives, this gathering also emphasizes the community-driven nature of CH projects as well as practical challenges, highlighting approaches that ensure digital solutions that are inclusive, accessible, relevant to diverse populations, and environmentally and economically sustainable.

Manel Ben Ayed is Associate Professor (HDR) in marketing at the Institut des Hautes Études Commerciales de Sfax (IHEC Sfax), University of Sfax, Tunisia. Her research interests include territorial marketing, digital marketing, experiential marketing, green marketing, design thinking, and marketing innovation. She has published in international journals and has actively participated in numerous international scientific conferences. She is also Certified Trainer and UX Designer and has been Member of the Interaction Design Foundation since 2022. Over the past decade, she has been actively involved in interdisciplinary research and applied projects related to green projects, women’s entrepreneurship, social innovation, soft skills development, and the promotion of Tunisian local products. She currently serves as Head of International Relations and contributes to several international and European academic cooperation projects. Manel Ben Ayed is also President of the Association des Patrimoines et des Propriétaires des Anciennes Demeures (APPAD). 
Lamia Ben Hamida is Associate Professor at the Institute of City and Territory Management at the Haute École de Gestion Arc (HEG Arc), part of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland. She holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Fribourg. Her research focuses on knowledge sharing, spillover effects, and the role of human and transversal skills in innovation processes, as well as on the design and analysis of cultural experiences through immersive technologies. 
Her recent work explores how soft skills and organizational change contribute to digital transformation and innovation within organizations. She also investigates how immersive technologies can be mobilized to enhance the valorization, accessibility, and transmission of cultural heritage, particularly in the context of Tunisia. Through these research streams, she aims to better understand how technological and human factors interact to create meaningful, sustainable, and innovative experiences.  
Rim Jallouli is Professor of Marketing and Innovation Management at the Higher School of Digital Economy (ESEN), University of Manouba (Tunisia), where she served as Director from 2011 to 2017. Her research focuses on digital transformation, data-driven marketing strategies, and the impact of emerging technologies on economic and cultural ecosystems. She has published more than fifty scientific articles and book chapters and co-edited fifteen volumes and special issues on digital economy, innovation, and technology-driven transformation. Rim Jallouli is Co-Founder of the Tunisian Association of Digital Economy (ATEN) and Co-Initiator of the International Conference on Digital Economy (ICDEc), fostering academic collaboration across Europe, Africa, and the MENA region. She is recognized for her expertise in innovative cultural strategies, the purple economy, and the role of digital and immersive technologies in the valorization of cultural heritage and creative industries.