Oxford University’s Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM) house some of the world's most significant collections. They provide important places of scholarly enquiry and serve as the front door to the wealth of knowledge and research generated at Oxford, welcoming over 3 million visitors each year. Comprising over 21 million objects, specimens and printed items, they constitute one of the largest and most important research repositories in the world and provide an outstanding resource for scholars, students and members of the public.
The Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz (SPK, Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation) in Berlin is one of the world's largest scientific and cultural institutions. It comprises museums, libraries, archives and research institutes. The collections and holdings are characterized by their multimedia nature, historical depth, geographical breadth and cultural diversity.
In 2024, GLAM and the SPK signed a Memorandum of Understanding to signify the importance of their institutional relationship and to demonstrate a willingness to strengthen collaboration between staff and researchers in the future. To further develop the relationship between both institutions, GLAM and SPK are calling for small-scale proposals with an explicit focus on GLAM and/or SPK collections, holdings, or activities, with the intention to support the establishment of new research collaborations or foster the continuation and advancement of already existing collaborations.
Call Overview
The call is intended to provide seed-funding for small projects, including workshops, and for research visits between staff members of GLAM and of SPK in order to enable working jointly with colleagues in the other institution.
Applications should be made jointly, by at least one staff member from GLAM and a staff member from the SPK.
In general, applicants should be salaried members of GLAM or their equivalent (such as fully-funded post-doctoral fellows) or permanent or temporary staff members of SPK. Applicants should have the necessary institutional infrastructure to enable them to hold the award, and their position should be securely funded over the full course of the project.
The involvement of additional external researchers (from German, British or international research or government institutions or companies) is welcome, although they will be expected to cover their own expenses for the project in all but exceptional circumstances.
Successful awards will be held by and administered through the applicants’ institution GLAM or SPK.
Funding
For the second phase of cooperation between GLAM and SPK a maximum of EUR 20.000 from each party is foreseen, totalling a 40.000 EUR budget, to be split between all the eligible proposals. The co-project leader from GLAM will receive the funds from this institution, the co-project leader from SPK will receive the funds from there.
Projects may apply for a maximum amount of funding of 4,500 GBP or 5,000 EUR.
The period of award is anticipated to be from 1 May 2025 to April 2026
Recipients of the funding at GLAM and SPK and their research partners elsewhere will be required to abide by the policies and practices of their respective institutions regarding the ethical conduct of research and reporting, as well as with regard to any broader, transnational restrictions that may obtain during the course of the award (e.g. Covid pandemic).
A short report on activities funded will be required at the end of the award period.
Application documents
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The application form is an online MS Office form and should be completed by the co-applicants. This form is intended to compile the details of the planned activity (including budgetary costs), the goals of the planned activity and the benefits of the planned activity in relation to the co-applicants’ own research, in particular the GLAM or SPK perspective, and the wider benefits to society. The form can be accessed and completed at https://forms.office.com/e/PVtzKSdf5S
Eligible claims
The funding is primarily intended to be used for travel and accommodation costs and costs associated with the realization of workshops but other uses will be considered as long as they comply with the spirit of this call.
Evaluation
All proposals will be considered by a joint GLAM – SPK selection committee, taking into these five categories into equal consideration.
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a clear description of the proposed research topic, and of its impact, innovative contribution for the GLAM / SPK approach, relevance and timeliness
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a coherent and feasible collaborative work plan or workshop programme, and an analysis of the thematic and institutional added value of the collaboration
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the potential to lead to further collaborative work, including joint grant applications to other bodies
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the track record and competency mix of the principal investigators
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considerations of gender and ethnic diversity
Submission and reporting
