Developing the Under and Tuglas Literature Centre museum department into a contemporary international research centre

Project title

Developing the Under and Tuglas Literature Centre museum department into a contemporary international research centre (UTKK RUK)

 

Project duration

01.06.2016–31.12.2020

 

Source of Financial Support

Institutional development programm of the structural fund ERDF for Academy of Science institutions and institutions of higher learning

 

Amount of support

115 006 euros

 

Brief Description of the Project

Bringing the conditions of use of the museum department of the Estonian Academy of Sciencesʼ Under and Tuglas Literature Centre into closer conformity with the requirements of a contemporary, international research centre. Digitisation of the Literature Centreʼs collection of cultural history, making it available to Estonian universities and researchers, as well as the international scholarly community. Organisation of international scholarly events and exhibitions to introduce the Literature Centreʼs cultural history collection and in order to facilitate its more effective use in digital space.

 

Project Goal

The goal is to develop a contemporary, international research centre on cultural history housed in the Literature Centreʼs museum department, thereby raising the Literature Centreʼs competitiveness and effectiveness in serving society. In order to achieve this goal, the following subgoals are proposed:

  • through their digitisation and unification into a single database, to make the Literature Centreʼs cultural history collections more accessible to researchers, including a broader international scholarly community;
  • by inclusion of foreign scholars and the organisation of joint conferences and exhibitions, to intensify research collaboration with universities, research institutions, and businesses in Estonia and other countries;
  • to offer cooperation with universities in raising the quality and effectiveness of PhD studies. Researchers shall have access to the cultural history collections of the Literature Centre using contemporary media.

 

Project Results

The Literature Centre has been transformed into an international research centre on cultural history where:

  • the conditions for carrying out research have improved, and research quality has increased. Thereby the number of university students, researchers, and scholars who use the opportunities offered by the Literature Centre has increased, as have opportunities for collaboration with other research institutions and businesses;
  • archival materials, most of which were, up till now on paper or out-of-date digital media, have been digitised according to contemporary requirements and gathered together into a functional databaase connected with the homepage, where they are accessible both to local and foreign researchers and other participants in the research process;
  • for doctoral students at universities, the Literature Centre provides up-to-date research conditions, an extended choice of supervisors, and additional opportunities to participate in research events; that is, the effectiveness of PhD studies and the quality of the supervision of PhD students have increased. The present level and means of accessing the collection have made the Literature Center an attractive centre for basic research in Estonian national literature and written humanities;
  • the number of foreign researchers working at the Literature center has increased; there is ongoing supervision of researchers, doctoral students and other university students; in cooperation with research institutions and museums, scholarly conferences and exhibitions are being organised. In collaboration with publishers, theoretical works and commented editions of source are being published, thus making the results of research more accessible to the broder public and intensifying collaboration with businesses.