Fryske Akademy and Mercator European Research Centre
The Fryske Akademy (FA) is the scientific centre for research and education concerning the Dutch province of Fryslân and its people, language and culture. The FA is liaised with the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). The FA is home to the Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning (MERC). MERC will be the department carrying out the project activities, in close cooperation with colleagues from other departments of the FA. The FA has on average 42 fte employed staff and the staff of the MERC usually varies between 6fte and 8 fte.
Interdisciplinary Centre for Social and Language Documentation (CIDLeS)
The Interdisciplinary Centre for Social and Language Documentation (CIDLeS) is a non-profit institution founded in January 2010 in Minde (Portugal) by a group of national and international researchers. CIDLeS aims at improving and deepening research in two linguistic areas: language documentation and linguistic typology. Besides the documentation, study and dissemination of European endangered and minority languages CIDLeS is also engaged in the development of language technologies for scientific and didactic work in lesser-used languages.
CIDLeS is committed to promote Europe’s linguistic diversity from a stand of dialogue, mutual support, and free scientific criticism. In the academic realm, CIDLeS aim to 1) improve and deepen language documentation, linguistic typology and associated subjects in Portugal and beyond, and 2) enhance interdisciplinary approaches in basic scientific research in linguistics through cooperation and joint work with universities and centres with different scientific orientations. CIDLeS understand the vital role that the speaker community plays in enabling this research and collaborates with communities who are actively working on maintaining their languages. The aims of this collaboration are 1) to enhance their methodologies through scientifically informed advice, 2) to give direct practical orientations to scientific outputs that are beneficial to these efforts, and 3) to advocate for an inclusive approach to the study of Europe’s endangered languages.
Tallinn University
Tallinn University (TLU) is the third-largest public university in Estonia. TU, founded in 2005 when a number of universities and academic institutes were consolidated into a single institution, is an innovative and academically enriching university. It is acknowledged both locally and internationally for its role as a centre for research and education.
TLU incorporates 6 institutes and 2 colleges in which study and research are being conducted in five interdisciplinary focus fields: educational innovation, digital and media culture, cultural competences, healthy and sustainable lifestyle and society and open governance. The main objective of the university’s research and development activities is to support the sustainable development of Estonia through research and its application to academic partnership, including the preparation of intellectuals as well as the advancement of public dialogue in order to facilitate this partnership. The mission of the university is to become the promoter of intelligent lifestyle in Estonia i.e. making research-based decisions in order to improve the society in general and the well-being of its citizens. More than 9,000 students, including 500 foreign students, are enrolled in TU’s bachelor, master and doctoral study programmes. Approximately 15,000 people also participate in further education and Open Academy studies each year. The university employs a total of almost a thousand people, including 450 researchers and teaching staff. Compared to other institutions, TU has the greatest percentage of foreigners (9.4%) working as regular academic employees in Estonia.
Nord University
Nord University was founded and accredited on January 1 2016 and is state-owned higher education institution. Nord University has a focus on developing regional networks with communities, business and industry, which is strengthened by a decentralised model. The university has a unique national responsibility for Lule Saami and South Saami languages and culture. The goal is to strengthen and develop Saami educational programmes, and research and communication within the field, as well as to establish research-based partnerships with others involved in research or teaching related to
indigenous peoples.
The university’s core activities are research, education, communication and innovation. A professionally managed organisation will contribute to achieving strategic objectives. Nord University’s identity is defined in terms of the three strategic focus areas Blue and Green Growth, Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Health, Welfare and Education. The region is rich in natural resources, supports diverse commercial activity and a large public sector, and represents significant potential within culture and recreation. Combined, these elements represent the university’s “field laboratory”, a space in which new solutions to global challenges can be tested and implemented. The field laboratory is
also an important part of the university’s periphery, in which knowledge gathering, professional practice, innovation and economic development take place. The university’s structure, with its broad geographical distribution of study locations, demands innovative approaches to communication and provides extensive opportunities to test digital solutions in the academic field laboratory of research and teaching. A significant aspect of the university’s profile is its role as an important national supplier of professional education. Nord University’s important national role within the professional disciplines, especially those related to education, and further education, of teachers, nurses and social workers, places the focus area Health, Welfare and Education in a central position within the university’s profile. This focus area contributes to the development of knowledge and attractive societies.
Rēzekne Academy of Technologies (RTA)
Rēzekne Academy of Technologies (RTA) is a state founded university type higher education institution in Latvia with unlimited international accreditation. Its roots go back to 1925 with record sheets starting from 1 August 1925. The aim of
RTA is to provide academic and professional higher education in compliance with the science development level and cultural traditions of Latvia being competitive in the European education space, developing studies and research in 14 study fields. There are three faculties at RTA: Faculty of Economics and Management, Faculty of Engineering, and Faculty of Education, Languages, and Design offering more than 50 bachelors, masters, and doctoral study programmes in Latvian and 14 programmes in English. RTA has three scientific institutes; one of them is Research Institute for Regional Studies, which has a research profile in the humanities and social studies. Having more than 185 cooperation partners from 31 countries, RTA promotes high mobility of academic staff and students (2nd-3rd place among all higher education institutions of Latvia).
