The new Institute for Cultures of the Alps will initially operate from mid-2019 to mid-2022, however the intent is to continue it past this timeframe. According to a statement from the Canton of Uri, the research areas will include preservation of the historical-cultural heritage, the historical argumentation for appropriate water rates, research on education figures, tourism outlook, the energy transition as well as the legal and political frameworks for agriculture. The institute also plans to hold annual academic conferences in Uri.
“With an interdisciplinary research institute, the Canton of Uri is opening up a broad field of research that could actively shape the future of the canton,” said Beat Jörg, Uri’s director of education and culture. “Uri wants to make its matters heard nationally and internationally by processing, publishing and discussing regional issues in an academic manner.” The institute is also expected to make the University of Lucernemore prominent at a national and international level.
The majority of research projects can be financed by third parties. The Canton of Uri will initially provide 100,000 Swiss francs per year for the institute’s premises, management and secretariat, and that figure is expected to later rise to 300,000 francs per year. The canton is currently looking for partners who could contribute to the costs.
The Institute for Cultures of the Alps will be headed by three professors from the University of Lucerne. Boris Previšic Mongelli, Professor of Literature and Cultural Studies at the Faculty of Cultural and Social Sciences at the University of Lucerne, will begin working with doctoral students in Altdorf by mid-2019.
In organizational terms, the institute will be an independent entity that can issue its own regulations and guidelines. Already at the outset of the development phase, a supervisory body will be established with equal representation from the Canton of Uri and the University of Lucerne, giving the institute international renown.
