Periodic Reporting for period 1 - LIMES (The Hardening and Softening of Borders: Challenges for Europe and the World)
Período documentado: 2019-12-01 hasta 2021-11-30
The overall topic of LIMES – the hardening and softening of borders – is directly related to current societal challenges in Europe and the world. Borders – as reality and metaphor – exist not only on the edge of the territory of the nation-state or the European Union, but also in numerous areas within and beyond these geographical units, not least in the minds of people. Borders are intrinsically moveable and permeable, and it is precisely this malleability that LIMES researchers focus on.
The keystone of the LIMES project is mobility. The programme offers two LIMES research clusters which offer a unique combination of scientific excellence and triple-i components (interdisciplinary research options, intersectoral exchange and international networking). One cluster is related to the mobility of persons and the other to the mobility of information and commodities. In working on these issues, the two clusters connect two or more domains in the social sciences and humanities.
LIMES delivers 13 highly skilled PhDs in the humanities and social sciences, who know how to conduct research related to interdisciplinary, international and intersectoral aspects of the hardening and softening of borders in Europe and the world. LIMES adds a specific focus to (trans)regional development projects in Limburg. A rich training programme and tailor-made secondments at one of the external partners are geared towards extending the employability of LIMES graduates far beyond traditional options. LIMES is the first doctoral programme in the humanities and social sciences in the Euroregion that has this broad employability outlook. It is intended to serve as an example for PhD training improvements.
The keystone of the LIMES project is mobility. The programme offers two LIMES research clusters which offer a unique combination of scientific excellence and triple-i components (interdisciplinary research options, intersectoral exchange and international networking). One cluster is related to the mobility of persons and the other to the mobility of information and commodities. In working on these issues, the two clusters connect two or more domains in the social sciences and humanities.
LIMES delivers 13 highly skilled PhDs in the humanities and social sciences, who know how to conduct research related to interdisciplinary, international and intersectoral aspects of the hardening and softening of borders in Europe and the world. LIMES adds a specific focus to (trans)regional development projects in Limburg. A rich training programme and tailor-made secondments at one of the external partners are geared towards extending the employability of LIMES graduates far beyond traditional options. LIMES is the first doctoral programme in the humanities and social sciences in the Euroregion that has this broad employability outlook. It is intended to serve as an example for PhD training improvements.
During the first project year, 13 PhD students have been hired and started working at the various faculties involved (School of Business and Economics, Law, University College Maastricht and Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences).
Two winter schools (on Interdisciplinarity and Internationality and Inclusivity) and one summer school (on Project Management and Ethics) have been organized successfully, taking into account the COVID-19 restrictions that were in place.
Also, the research plans have been submitted and some secondments are planned and some are ongoing.
A dissemination & communication plan has been drafted, adopted and implemented at project level. The plan includes the launch of a media team. As part of the ESR media team, ESRs are responsible for maintaining the LIMES social media channels. To date, four media teams were organized so far. Some ESRs created their first output. For all projects, ethical clearance and RDM is achieved.
The mid-term review was successfully concluded.
On 5th February 2020, the kick-off conference to welcome the Early Stage Researchers in Maastricht took place. The kick-off conference was attended by all newly hired early stage researchers and members of the 11 supervision teams, external partner organisations and support staff from the participating faculties.
The first two gatherings of the Advisory Board took place in 2020 and 2021. Various options for cooperation with cross-border organisations were discussed and proposed, including a focus on cross-border cooperation and how the expertise and networks of its members could be used to support the training and future career perspectives of the ESRs.
Two winter schools (on Interdisciplinarity and Internationality and Inclusivity) and one summer school (on Project Management and Ethics) have been organized successfully, taking into account the COVID-19 restrictions that were in place.
Also, the research plans have been submitted and some secondments are planned and some are ongoing.
A dissemination & communication plan has been drafted, adopted and implemented at project level. The plan includes the launch of a media team. As part of the ESR media team, ESRs are responsible for maintaining the LIMES social media channels. To date, four media teams were organized so far. Some ESRs created their first output. For all projects, ethical clearance and RDM is achieved.
The mid-term review was successfully concluded.
On 5th February 2020, the kick-off conference to welcome the Early Stage Researchers in Maastricht took place. The kick-off conference was attended by all newly hired early stage researchers and members of the 11 supervision teams, external partner organisations and support staff from the participating faculties.
The first two gatherings of the Advisory Board took place in 2020 and 2021. Various options for cooperation with cross-border organisations were discussed and proposed, including a focus on cross-border cooperation and how the expertise and networks of its members could be used to support the training and future career perspectives of the ESRs.
LIMES provides innovation on both academic content and the organization of a graduate training programme. While the individual PhD projects contribute to disciplinary discussions within their fields, they are enriched by the specific transdisciplinary setup of the programme, revolving around the topic of the softening and hardening of borders. Borders thus become visible as social constructs between jurisdictions, cultures and mind-sets. A key common interest is the way in which humans interact with and across borders, and how borders are being transformed through this process. LIMES seeks to continually engage the ESRs in that discussion beyond their own disciplines.
LIMES is also peculiar in terms of its innovative training programme, going beyond the disciplinary trainings provided by faculty graduate schools. All ESRs have secondments at partner institutions outside of the university, providing intersectoral exposure. The winter and summer schools organized by LIMES cover topics such as internationality, intersectorality and public engagement. All ESRs participate in a dedicated media team providing training on public engagement and dissemination.
Once the ESRs have completed their trajectories, they will be prepared for a career inside and outside of academia, and beyond the disciplines in which they were originally trained. In that sense, LIMES also aims at the softening of borders between disciplines and between the academic and the non-academic world.
LIMES is also peculiar in terms of its innovative training programme, going beyond the disciplinary trainings provided by faculty graduate schools. All ESRs have secondments at partner institutions outside of the university, providing intersectoral exposure. The winter and summer schools organized by LIMES cover topics such as internationality, intersectorality and public engagement. All ESRs participate in a dedicated media team providing training on public engagement and dissemination.
Once the ESRs have completed their trajectories, they will be prepared for a career inside and outside of academia, and beyond the disciplines in which they were originally trained. In that sense, LIMES also aims at the softening of borders between disciplines and between the academic and the non-academic world.