Russian Archives Training Scheme

Russian Archives Training Scheme
Research in Moscow’s Historical Archives
Study Trip for Research Students
31 March - 8 April 2010

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The Russian Archives Training Scheme is funded by CEELBAS and CRCEES, after a highly successful four-year pilot funded by a grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s ‘Collaborative Research Training Provision for Doctoral Students’ scheme. It involves collaboration between the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London; the Centre for Russian and East European Studies, University of Birmingham; the Department of Central and East European Studies, University of Glasgow; and, in association with the British Association for Slavonic and East European Studies, the Study Group on the Russian Revolution, the Centre for Russian, Central and East European Studies (CRCEES), and the Centre for East European Language Based Area Studies (CEELBAS).  

Following several successful UK workshops and trips to Russia, the scheme is organising a one week trip to Moscow for research students based in the UK and overseas, in order to introduce them to working in the principal historical, literary and cultural archives used by scholars of the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire. The visit will include visits to the two biggest archives, the State Archive of the Russian Federation (GARF) and the Russian State Archive of Social and Political History (RGASPI), where students will be given an introductory talk and will have the opportunity to speak with archivists and to investigate the extent of archival holdings on their own topic. Trips to other more specialised archives and libraries in Moscow will be included according to the needs of individual students, including the Russian State Archive of Literature and Art (RGALI), the Russian State Archive of Contemporary History (RGANI) and others. There will also be some free time for exploring the city and becoming acquainted with its culture, and the opportunity to meet some leading Russian historians. The trip is led by experienced staff from the UK and is organised with the full cooperation of the archives. Students will stay in a hotel, mostly in shared twin rooms.

The programme is intended mostly for students who have not yet carried out research in the Moscow archives, but are planning an extended archival research trip to Moscow in the future. It is therefore aimed primarily at students in their first year of doctoral study (or second year part-time), but applications from students at different stages of study will be considered where appropriate. Priority will be given to students registered for a PhD or equivalent at a UK institution (or students registered for an MPhil in their first year who are expected to have registration upgraded to PhD). It is also a condition of the scheme’s funding that priority will be given to students at institutions which are part of the CEELBAS or CRCEES networks.

Timetable

The timetable for students to apply for and organise a place on the trip is as follows:

Eligibility and Costs 

Only students who are resident in the UK and registered for a research degree at a UK institute of Higher Education may have their personal costs, i.e. flights and accommodation, subsidised. Priority and higher subsidies will be granted to students at CEELBAS institutions, and CRCEES institutions. There are also places available for students at UK universities outside these two consortia, and for overseas students.

For CEELBAS/CRCEES Students and subsidised non-consortia students: The subsidised fee for each student is £400 to cover all costs associated with the trip, excluding personal spending and travel to a UK airport. It is normally expected that these costs will be covered by the student’s funding council or own department. BASEES members will be able to apply to BASEES under the normal competitive procedures for grants to support postgraduate research. Students not awarded a subsidised place may still be able to participate provided they cover in full their personal costs, currently estimated at £750

For students studying at non-UK institutions: you must arrange your own flights to Russia and Russian visas, at your own cost. The fee for the scheme (for accommodation, archive visits and other costs) will be US$1000.

Note that in either case, a first payment of £150 will have to be provided before visa invitations are issued and flights confirmed.

Costs of travel to and from the airport in the UK are not covered by the award.

Travel Arrangements

For successful applicants from UK institutions, flights will be booked centrally from a number of UK airports. It is a condition of the scheme that participating students will travel to and leave from Moscow on the dates stated above.

Visas

Subject to unanticipated changes in visa regulations, visa applications will be handled centrally through a London travel agent. Details will be notified to selected applicants as early as possible. In any event, participants should ensure there is sufficient time in February-March 2010 for them to submit their passports to the Russian consulate.

Application Process

Applications should consist of two documents: 
1)  A letter of application, no more than two sides of A4, outlining the benefits of the trip to their own work, and including at least the following information: 

2) A supporting statement from the student’s supervisor or course leader. This statement should confirm the information in the student’s application and outline the relevance of the trip to the student’s work, and should comment on the student’s work to date. For students registered for an MPhil or equivalent, this should also state the likelihood of the student’s degree being upgraded to PhD or equivalent. This statement should be emailed by the supervisor. All applications and supervisors’ supporting statements should be sent by email to arrive no later than 11 December 2009 to Ariadna Popova.

Selection Criteria

There are a limited number of places on the programme. Applications will be assessed according to the following criteria: 
1) CEELBAS and CRCEES students will be prioritised;
2) Students already registered for a full research degree will be accorded priority

For further enquiries, contact the scheme administrator Ariadna Popova or the academic co-ordinator, Dr Polly Jones.