Over the Course of the 2012/13 academic year this AHRC-funded programme is offering postgraduate research students postdoctoral researchers a unique opportunity to develop skills in reinterpreting archival material (Image, Object, Performance and Theatre, Corpora and Film) in the context of digitisation and widening access to such material through strategies of public engagement.
Participants will gain hands-on experience of putting these skills into practice in collaboration with prestigious external partners. The programme is open to postgraduate research students from the Arts and Humanities. Application opens on 30th August and closes on 27th September at 5:00pm . There will be 30 subsidised places.
Dr Mark Rawlinson discusses the effect of digitisation on archives, the intellectual environment of ’Hidden Collections’ and the programme’s impact on participants’ employability.
Programme
The multidisciplinary programme comprises five skills workshops and the opportunity to participate in one of the five corresponding projects.
Pre-induction Module
Alex Southern, PhD student and archivist, has developed an online module which will introduce participants to concepts, terminology and issues related to working with archives and their holdings for academic research, including research techniques, copyright issues and the creation of digital repositories.
Induction Day
The aim of the introductory workshop is to:
- provide an overview of the Hidden Collections programme and what your participation will involve
- introduce the workshops and explain the role of the partner organisations
- introduce you to the other participants in your strand and explore how you can work together effectively as a virtual team
- help you review the skills your team will need in order to fulfil the aims and of the programme and consider what resources you have and what you need to develop
| 10.00 – 10.15 | Arrival and coffee |
| 10.15-11.30 | Introduction to the programme |
| 11.30 – 12.30 | The value of interdisciplinary working |
| 12.30 – 13.15 | Lunch and sign up to workshops |
| 13.15-15.00 | Project management for remote projects |
| 15.00-16.00 | Team skills review and planning |
| 16.00-16.15 | Online module |
| 16.15-16.25 | Final issues |
| 16.30 | Taxis depart for station |
During the Induction Day participants will sign up to their desired workshops. All participants must take part in a minimum of 3 workshops.
Workshops
The skills workshops, taking place on five days over the first half of the academic year, will be delivered by academics, archivists, technologists and researcher developers. They will be supplemented by a residential workshop and will deliver training on issues related to the digital transformation of archives, along with specific training for each of the five strands of the programme: image, object, film, performance and theatre, and corpora. In order to benefit fully from the multi-disciplinary nature of this programme, participants will take at least three -and up to five- of these workshops, covering approaches, methods and content that extend beyond individuals’ usual disciplines. Part of each workshop will offer the opportunity for participants to reflect on how these different approaches might shed new light on their own research.
Projects
The projects offered in conjunction with the external partners will then give participants an opportunity to transfer skills developed during the workshops to a professional context related to their chosen project. Each participant will undertake a project with one of the external partners, including Tate, British Film Institute, The Bristish School at Rome, New Perspectives Theatre, and Nottingham Castle Museum & Galleries. Travel expenses to projects and all workshops will be covered.
Dr Jo Robinson and Dr Katharina Lorenz, discuss what skills participants in the programme will develop, and the importance of public engagement within the academic sector.
Skills Development
Participants will have the opportunity to gain skills essential for both academic and non-academic careers. Not only will you benefit from training in the use of digital archives and archival material, you will also learn about audience identification and engagement. Furthermore you will gain experience in project planning, knowledge exchange, undertaking research in an external organisation and public engagement and communication skills. By undertaking a programme run in collaboration with six universities and external partners, you will acquire demonstrable experience in collaborative working, networking and cross-institutional collaboration. These skills are transferable to a wide range of careers, essential to widening access to academic research, and will give you a competitive advantage in both academic and non-academic job markets.
Requirements
Participants are expected to attend a minimum of 3 workshops and one 6-day placement to make a minimum time commitment of 9 days over the course of the year: failure to attend 3 workshops will result in the participant’s subsidised place being offered to another candidate.
Residential Workshop
We can confirm that the Residential Workshop will take place on the 7th and 8th March, 2013 at the Hilton, Nottingham.
Details to follow.
PhD candidate Helen Wainwright talks about the benefits of the Hidden Collections structure.
Hi
How does one apply for this?
Best
Sue
Dear Sue,
There is a link for downloading the application form on the apply page. The completed formed can then be emailed to ‘hiddencollections@nottingham.ac.uk’.
Best wishes.
Hi, when you say this scheme is open to postgraduate students from the Arts and Humanities, do you mean all A&H students or all AHRC-funded students? Similarly, is it open to postdocs in the arts and humanities or only postdocs that are funded by the AHRC? Thanks.
Dear Charlotte,
The scheme is open to all Arts and Humanities research students and postdocs, whether or not they are funded by the AHRC.
Best wishes.
Will there be a certificate at the end of the course? Is it international recognized?
Dr. Anwar Mourssi
M.A. in TESL/TEFL University of Birmingham 2006, PhD in applied linguistics from UWE Bristol 2012
Dear Anwar,
Participants will recieve a certificate to confirm participation. The programme is internationally recognised in the sense that it is funded by the AHRC, but it is not accredited.
Best wishes.
I am working with a large collection of long nineteenth century sheet music. Would this scheme be relevant for me?
Dear Wendy,
In regards to the material you are working with the scheme would certainly be relevant. The focus of the programme is on digitalisation and public engagement. If it is in these terms that you are working with sheet music then yes, it would be relevant.
Best wishes.
Thank you for your reply. I picked it up as soon as I had sent my second, and now redundant, message.
Regards, Wendy
I sent a message to you yesterday explaining I am working, as part of a higher degree, on archiving sheet music, and whether it would be appropriate for me to apply for Hidden Collections. I am aware the closing date is tomorrow, so would appreciate a response please.
Regards, Wendy