ReNEW's main objective is to establish a functioning structure for mobility, research training and academic exchange, which will lead to the institutionalization of top class research on the Nordic region as a collaborative epistemic community. UH, under the leadership of professor Peter Stadius, will take overall responsibility for coordination of ReNEW, while each work package will be led by one of the partner universities.
Work packages
A key purpose of ReNEW is to facilitate mobility among researchers engaged in Norden-related research. Researchers at all levels of seniority will be invited to submit applications for research stays at another institution within ReNEW, at one of our strategic partners or at other relevant institutions. ReNEW will also map BA and MA programs and PhD courses on Nordic themes in the respective universities, looking for possible synergies. The purpose will be to stimulate the exchange of students and teachers across the universities at this level.
WP leaders: Peter Stadius, University of Helsinki and Irma Erlingsdottir, University of Iceland
ReNEW universities will collaborate in a joint research training programme, including summer schools, research seminars and PhD training courses. A training course for the ReNEW PhD cohort and other scholars outside ReNEW will be arranged in connection with the annual conference. Topics addressed in the research training programme will mirror the strengths and interests of the partner universities. Courses at MA and PhD level will be offered in such areas as digital humanities, comparative social science research, area and cultural studies, and legal studies. These will be available to all researchers pursuing studies related to Nordic themes, regardless of their primary affiliation.
WP leader: Norbert Götz, Södertörn University
Following successful conferences UiO and University of Helsinki in March 2017 and 2018, the ReNEW initiative establishes this conference as an annual event, with the other universities taking on the commitment in subsequent years. At least one of the upcoming conferences will be co-organized with a partner outside the Nordic countries, and we are likely to cooperate with universities in the Boston area of the USA for the organization of one of these conferences. ReNEW will also facilitate the organization of workshops related to the research clusters or other mores specific and innovative themes that are of interest to researchers in the participating universities. These events may be hosted and coorganized by the partner universities, or in cooperation with one of the partner institutions outside the Nordic countries.
WP leader: Haldor Byrkjeflot, University of Oslo
ReNEW utilizes the different profiles and expertise of the participating universities in its strategy for public and policy outreach. The aim is to establish overview and establish relationships to relevant stakeholders, and invite Nordic communities within the public, private and NGO sectors to participate in our initiative. Programs aimed at policy-makers, administrators and businesses, like the one established at CBS in Public Governance, continue to be offered. Connections are developed with media organisations, publishers and think-tanks, foreign ministries and organizations established to develop or facilitate Nordic cooperation.
WP leader: Caroline de la Porte, Copenhagen Business School (CBS)
ReNEW members already participate in book series related to Nordic research themes and new volumes and book series initiatives are under way. It is expected that two books a year will be published during the six-year period of ReNEW, with concrete plans already existing for 2-4 books in 2018-2019 and another 2-4 books in the years thereafter. All universities have an open access policy and ReNEW will provide some funding for this purpose.
WP leader: Malcolm Langford, University of Oslo
Under the domain name nordics.info, ReNEW will establish a new website to communicate research-based knowledge about the Nordic region, presented in a way that is accessible to a broad readership. Content will include all the areas covered by ReNEW, with authors recruited through the network. Material will be presented in different formats and the site will also include key sources in translation and with expert commentary. The project builds on experience gained from AU’s prize-winning website danmarkshistorien.dk, which had over 2.8 million visits and 5.8 million page views in 2017.
WP leader: Mary Hilson, University of Aarhus