Summer School in Digital Palaeography

03 - 14 August 2026

The Institute for Digital Humanities at the University of Göttingen, in collaboration with the Göttingen State and University Library, and with generous support from the Volkswagen Foundation, is pleased to announce its annual international digital palaeography summer school.

The summer school is intended as an intensive training scheme for postgraduate students, in both traditional Latin palaeography and codicology, and in the latest digital technologies applicable in these disciplines. The course will be taught in English.

The summer school is intended as an intensive training scheme for postgraduate students, in both traditional Latin palaeography and codicology, and in the latest digital technologies applicable in these disciplines. The course will be taught in English.

The programme, currently being finalised, will generally consist of sessions on the history of the script of Latin manuscript books in the medieval West, including transcription practice, in the mornings. Afternoon sessions will introduce students to digital methodologies and tools in fragmentology, codicology and bookbinding, editing, and cataloguing, as well as to TEI-XML and multispectral imaging. Students will work extensively with primary sources, and there will be a day trip to a manuscript library outside Göttingen.

The director of the programme is Dr. Anna Dorofeeva.
The special guest lecturer this year is Prof. Dr. Mariken Teeuwen, Huygens Institute.

If you would like to know more about this program, feel free to check our past programme or testimonials written by the previous participants available on our blog.

Eligibility

You are eligible to apply if you are currently undertaking an MA, PhD, or a similar postgraduate degree, or if you will have completed one of these degrees within a few months of the summer school. We cannot accept applications from professionals or undergraduate students, except for those who are about to complete their degree and have received an offer from a higher education institution.

The summer school focuses on the Latin Middle Ages. Students of adjacent or distantly related fields may apply, but should carefully justify how the school programme will aid their studies or research.

No prior palaeographical or digital humanities experience is required, although a basic knowledge of both would be advantageous due to the intense nature of the summer school.

We strive to be inclusive to people of all backgrounds and needs. If you have any hesitation about applying, please get in touch with us to discuss your situation.

In total, the summer school will have sixteen participants, meaning approximately one out of every six applications is successful.

Acommodation

Accommodation will be provided free of charge in shared, mixed-gender rooms with access to shared bathrooms and fully equipped kitchens. Please note that alternative accommodation is not possible. If you have any preferences, please indicate them in your application; while we will do our best to accommodate everyone’s preferences, this cannot be guaranteed.

Application process

All applicants should submit the following in English:

1. An application form (fill out here)
2. A motivation letter (as a PDF; no longer than 2 pages; saved as [Last
Name_Motivation Letter])
3. A short CV (as a PDF; no longer than 1 page;saved as [Last Name_CV] )

Please do not submit references: they will not be read.

In the motivation letter, applicants are requested to describe the following:

• How this summer school will enhance your graduate programme. Please describe, in detail, exactly how the school will help your research and/or study.
• Your level of Latin (a basic knowledge of Latin is mandatory).
• Your previous experience of computer technologies, including but not limited to file organisation, application environments, coding, and web/graphic design. How will the summer school address gaps in your knowledge?

The deadline for applications is 31 March 2026.

Please send application documents and enquiries via email to Ashina Aleyna Yildiz, the student assistant for the summer school, at aleyna.yildiz@uni-goettingen.de. When submitting your application, please use the subject line: “Application for Summer School 2026_Last Name.” We aim to notify all applicants of our decisions by mid-May at the latest.