It is always good news when protests against unjustified cuts to the humanities are successful. The petition against the closing down of the Swedish Institutes of Athens, Rome and Istanbul was signed by thousands of people from around the world. Yesterday the Swedish government officially announced that they will not cut the funding of the Swedish Institutes. The massive protests from the international scholarly community certainly contributed greatly to this result.
As mentioned in the petition text “The Institutes provide an invaluable contribution to research, education and cultural exchange, all happening on a minute budget. They promote cross-disciplinary cooperation, mobility, internationalization, and the application of funds and excellence. The Institutes also contribute to the overall quality of many university disciplines in Sweden. They, moreover, function as a place for intercultural meetings, national centers and fora for courses, conferences, seminars and provide excellent resources for both small and large educational establishments. The institutes have a strong brand and are internationally known and respected research centres”.
