SAS convenes annual Humanities Summits on theme of collaboration

In May, the School of Advanced Study held its annual Humanities Summits for 2025 on the theme of collaboration. The summits were held at Manchester Museum and at Senate House in London, and reached over 100 people across both dates.

The summits are designed to provide an annual opportunity for the humanities community to meet and discuss sector-wide issues, and create a space for ideas exchange, support and constructive agenda-setting. The event invites colleagues of all career-stages to exchange experiences and ideas concerning the pivotal issues confronting the sector, and to devise new approaches that will shape the future of our disciplines. 

Both summits employed a ‘flipped’ approach, in which the events began with an open discussion led by the participants, before moving onto presentations and panels.

The opening discussions were wide-ranging, taking in a variety of pressing topics including the evolution of the humanities curriculum, humanities advocacy, competition vs collaboration between institutions, and the need for more joined up action around equality and inclusion. The session provided a valuable forum for participants to share experiences and approaches at a sector level.

The second session placed a spotlight on the future of skills training, and how new collaborative and combined approaches are equipping doctoral researchers with vital skills. Professor Katherine Harloe and Dr Emlyn Dodd from the Institute of Classical Studies discussed the ways in which Classics has responded to the pressures facing the discipline through innovative collaborative approaches to training, such as workshops, virtual information sessions, and co-produced online language-learning modules.

This was followed by a presentation from the team behind RESHAPED, a new training and community space for researchers in the humanities. The new platform, developed by SAS, provides training courses and toolkits written by experts, and hubs connecting researchers, resources and training across the UK.

The final session explored how researchers can collaborate with policymakers and industry at a regional level, drawing on the experience and insights of expert panellists.

In Manchester, Rebecca Wilkie, Senior Programme Manager at New Writing North, shared insights from her experience overseeing regional events in the literature sector, including Durham Book Festival. Wieke Eringa discussed the work of Leeds’ Cultural Institute, which activates exchange between the University of Leeds and the creative sector. James Coe, Senior Partner and Director at Counterculture Scotland, stressed the importance of place in the development of collaborative regional projects.

In London, Cllr Ani Stafford-Townsend, co-chair of the Bristol One City Culture Board, shared their experience of overseeing collaboration in the arts in a combined authority context, and Professor Nicky Marsh, co-director of the Southampton Institute for Arts and Humanities, shared her findings on the role of culture in the context of the ongoing 'pride in place' agenda.

Collaboration across SAS

A variety of other initiatives across the institutes and centres of the School have focussed on the theme of collaboration this year.

In February, the Institute of Historical Research issued a joint statement with the Historical Association, History UK and the Royal Historical Society, which called for a more collaborative and co-ordinated approach for History. The statement, which recognised the various pressures facing the discipline, calls for ‘a more co-ordinated approach to advocacy, so that we might better campaign and speak up for history. Collaboration, between historians, and with fellow humanities organisations, has never been more necessary’. 

The Institute of English Studies (IES) has explored the benefits of collaboration across and beyond the humanities sector. A series of meetings organised by the English Association in partnership with IES has explored the ways in which researchers from English have collaborated with other sectors. Thinking forwards: collaboration has included discussions with scientists, art organisations and community leaders about the benefits of working in partnerships with humanities scholars. 

This year’s UK-Ireland Digital Humanities Association Annual Event is also reflecting on collaboration in the context of digital projects. Collaborations on digital initiatives have unlocked exciting opportunities for researchers and practitioners, bringing together communities of practice to develop new methodologies, tools, and knowledge. At the same time, this increased emphasis on collaborative working has highlighted persistent questions for the field including how credit is distributed within teams, what the appropriate career incentives are for all staff working on projects and the challenges of communicating between disciplines. 

The event, which will be hosted at the University of Glasgow from 17-18 June, will bring together digital humanities researchers, cultural heritage professionals, practitioners, and students with an interest in digital arts and humanities research for two-days of networking and critical reflection. In-person registration is now closed, but online spaces are still available. Register by 13 June.