St Petersburg University lecturer Mikhail Chernigovskiy on the new archival interregional mobility contest

The idea of the contest was proposed by the Youth Club of the Russian Historical Society. Mikhail Chernigovskiy, a lecturer in the Department of International Humanitarian Cooperation and Deputy Chairman of the Council of Young Scientists at St Petersburg University, communicated this idea to Konstantin Mogilevskii, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, during a working meeting.

How did you come up with the idea of the contest "Archival interregional mobility"?

 The issue of developing and providing support measures for research by early-career researchers in the humanities is far from being new. Every early-career historian who is engaged in historical research faces a range of challenges. They primarily concern how to work in archival and library repositories, especially those located in regions where early-career researchers do not reside. It is important to note that every year the situation regarding support measures for early-career researchers is changing dramatically. A number of measures are being developed and implemented at the federal level that have a positive effect on the development of youth science in our country. This issue is a priority for Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Government of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. I must say that in developing such measures, a special role is played by associations of early-career researchers, who initiate developing and introducing such measures. It is gratifying that federal executive authorities are attentive to the opinion of youth scientific associations, whose ideas are being implemented at the federal level. The archival interregional mobility contest is good evidence for that.

The organisers of the contest "Archival interregional mobility’ are the Russian Historical Society, the foundation ‘History of the Fatherland", and the Federal Archival Agency.

We have been developing this idea for almost two years, and the initiative arose as we gained experience in conducting dissertation research. To date, the issue in organising business trips for young historians to archival institutions located outside their "centre of life" remains unresolved. In most cases, the issue in organising a trip to the archives falls on the shoulders of early-career researchers themselves. And this is also a financial issue. We must understand that for a doctoral student or a candidate for a degree in history, organising a trip to another city, especially a long-term one, is a challenge. In this regard, those who have, for example, relatives or friends in the city where the necessary archive is located are very lucky. However, this still does not solve the problem. 

How and when was the initiative presented? 

We have presented this idea several times. We first talked about it at a meeting of the Youth Club of the Russian Historical Society in the autumn of 2023, which was attended by Chairman of the Board of the Russian Historical Society Ruslan Gagkuev. After its presentation, we received a number of additions and comments, revised the concept of the idea, discussed it again with young historians during the general meeting of the Russian Historical Society in St Petersburg and in the summer of the same year presented the initiative to Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Konstantin Mogilevskii during the International Rally of the Youth Club of the Russian Historical Society, which took place in Moscow. Konstantin Mogilevskii supported this idea. The initiative got the finishing touches and has come to life. 

Did your experience in research have an influence on the project’s concept? 

Formulating the project concept, we heavily relied on our own doctoral experience. Many of us know first-hand about the difficulties that may arise when organising such trips. Work on dissertation research takes up most of the life of doctoral students and degree seekers. In this regard, it is essential for us to ensure that young colleagues have fewer organisational difficulties and devote their full energy and time to research. 

How does the initiative contribute to the development of Russia’s historical science?

Today, historical science is one of the top priorities for the Russian Federation.

The challenges that our country faces today serve as good evidence that achieving historical accuracy, preserving historical memory, and obtaining objective knowledge about the past are what underpins our present and future. 

Young historians play and will play a key role in the development of Russian historical science. And the new contest for archival interregional mobility is a significant step towards improving measures to support research by young Russian historians. 

Ivan Kulakov, coordinator of the Youth Club of the Russian Historical Society, spoke about the geography, opportunities for participation and prospects of the contest "Archival interregional mobility". 

Citizens from all regions of the Russian Federation can take part in the project. The winners of the contest will be provided with paid travel and accommodation for up to two weeks, and the Federal Archival Agency of the Russian Federation will also provide assistance in working with documents. However, the programme now applies only to Moscow and St Petersburg, i.e. to those archives that are under the direct control of the Federal Archival Agency. 

What are the evaluation criteria for candidates? 

A mandatory list of documents is established for participation in the contest. First of all, the expert committee evaluates the presence of real developments on the research topic, which can be confirmed by articles and publications. 

How did early-career researchers react to the announcement of the contest, in your opinion? 

Our colleagues all over the country reacted positively when they learned about this idea. Everyone noted its relevance for young historians. We hope that the project will have a positive impact on the development of youth historical science over time. 

What prospects and goals of the project do you see in future? 

It is too early to talk about this now. We will identify the prospects based on the realities of the first contest. At this stage, we have already secured the support of Federal Archival Agency of the Russian Federation for early-career researchers in accordance with all regulatory documents and regulations. They will get both emotional support and practical results. After all, one of the main goals of the project is to improve the level of qualifying works for the degree of candidate of historical sciences. We hope that the winners of the contest will develop a solid ground for their dissertations, enabling them to complete their research in a timely manner and not delay the moment when they become successful early-career researchers.