NWIB Summer School 2024 (Ba)
Interdisciplinary research in Rome, Florence & Athens.
Are you a motivated bachelor’s student looking to learn beyond the borders of your field, develop your academic skills, and work with energized peers from universities across the Netherlands? Fancy doing all this in beautiful Rome, Florence or Athens?
The NWIB, or Dutch Scientific Institutes Abroad in English, are scientific posts of Dutch universities particularly situated around the Mediterranean. In collaboration with Utrecht University, the institutes in Rome, Florence, and Athens developed an interuniversity and multidisciplinary Summer School for bachelor’s students, connecting their expertise in (art) history, archaeology, and cultural heritage to a wide range of contemporary societal issues. Think of the inherent tension between religious practice and the economic need for tourism, or the complexities surrounding the preservation and ownership of cultural heritage (e.g. the Parthenon Marbles). We also explore innovative academic themes such as the relationship between art history and medical practice.
The institutes each have their own profile and expertise, however, there is ample freedom to develop your own ideas. The point of departure might be (art) history or heritage, however, we explicitly invite students from across the academic spectrum to combine intellectual forces. That means not just students of the Humanities but also the Social, Technological, Exact, and Natural sciences.
This programme is taught in English and is offered to second and third-year bachelor students.
Application and Selection
The application deadline for the NWIB Summer School 2024 is March 11th, 2024 at 09:00 AM (CEST). We will open the application form later in the year. Students from the various participating universities can apply through this portal (see admission requirements below).
The matching interviews will take place from April 9th, 2024 to April 14th, 2024.
Programme Structure
Introduction Week in Utrecht
The Summer School kicks off on the 1st of July 2024 with an introduction week in Utrecht. During this week you learn about working in multidisciplinary groups or working on a multidisciplinary theme individually. You will also team up with your fellow group members and supervisor from Rome, Florence or Athens to start preparing your research question, method and format to ensure you are sufficiently prepared upon arrival at your destination. The introduction week consists of lectures, workshops, group work, guided tours and site visits. There are plenary sessions for all students, but since every institution has its own expertise and research framework, there will also be elements in the program tailor-made to the city you applied for.
Fieldwork in Athens, Rome or Florence
The ‘fieldwork’, i.e. the research you do on location will take place between the 15th and 26th of July in Rome and Athens, and between the 22nd of July and 2nd of August in Florence. There might be a program on location as well, depending on the institution and type of research. However, in general, it is expected of you and/or your group to operate autonomously, meaning you will dedicate a lot of time to self-study. Your assigned supervisor is there to steer you in the right direction, challenge you if needed, introduce you to local stakeholders, and suggest relevant literature (which might also be assigned before the introduction week starts, to give you a head start).
NIKI track: ‘The birth of modern anatomical illustration’
The NIKI’s Summer School is devoted to “The birth of the modern anatomical illustration”. The course is a combination of lectures and discussions of the readings in class. Students are required to write a research paper and to give a presentation about their research. The library of the NIKI offers students the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the relationship between art and science during the Renaissance.
For students who are interested in:
Art History
Medical History
Medical Humanities
Supervisor: Prof. dr. Michael Kwakkelstein
The Summer School at the NIKI in Florence will take place between the 22nd of July and the 2nd of Augustus.
Who is eligible to apply?
2nd and 3rd year bachelor students at one of the following universities: Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Radboud Universiteit, Vrije Universiteit van Amsterdam, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Universiteit Leiden, Universiteit Utrecht, University College Utrecht of University College Roosevelt
You are highly motivated and willing to invest the time necessary to successfully complete the programme
You like working together with other students (with diverse disciplinary backgrounds)
You are present at every segment of the Summer School, from beginning to end.
Admission
The first selection round is dealt with by the coordinator at your own university. If approved the coordinator forwards your application to Utrecht University for a second round of selection. Utrecht University then invites the most eligible candidates for matching interviews. The final selection takes place on the basis of these interviews.
Please apply by sending the following documents in a single PDF file to the contact person at your university:
Motivation letter (max. 350 words)
Resumé (max. 2 pages)
An official transcript of your grades
Indicate at which NWIB institute you want to conduct your research (we cannot guarantee you will be placed at your preferred institute)
Assessment & Credits
The type of assessment depends on the institute and supervisor. For students going to Florence will likely write an individual paper; students going to Rome and Athens may come up with an alternative form of assessment and evaluation such as a documentary, magazine, podcasts, art installation, etc., but are also free to choose to write a group paper as long as your learning process and development is clearly manifested in the chosen format
The Summer School requires an investment of about 168 hours (6 ECTS of extracurricular credits).
Please make sure this applies to your university as well, and check if you can use these credits for attaining your bachelor’s degree, or whether these are solely recognised as extracurricular (Honours) credits.
Deadlines
The application deadline at your own university is April 14. The matching interviews are held in Utrecht on the 15th, 16th and 17th of May. The final selection will be made before May 26.
Costs
The Summer School is financed by the NWIB Institutes and Utrecht University, participation is free of charge.
The institutes also provide accommodation (shared apartments or dorm rooms) during your stay in Rome, Florence or Athens. All travelling costs and costs of living (food and drinks) are at your own expense.
Organisation NWIB Summer School
UU Honours College
Yannick Servais & Melisse Vroegindeweij, honourscollege@uu.nl.
Click here for more information.
Nederlands Interuniversitair Kunsthistorisch Instituut
Viale Torricelli 5
50125 Florence, Italië
tel. +39055221612
