Han Lamers began his four-year tenure as director of The Norwegian Institute in Rome (DNIR) in February.
“The Norwegian Institute in Rome is an institution that Norway can be proud of. It is both a pleasure and an honour for me to build upon the foundation established by my predecessor, Kristin Aavitsland, and those who came before her,” says Lamers.
Since January 2018, Lamers has been affiliated with the Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas (IFIKK). The following year, he became professor of classical languages.
He studied Ancient Greek and Latin at Leiden University, where he earned his PhD in 2013. Additionally, he studied art history at KU Leuven.
Lamers’ research focuses on how and why Ancient Greek and Latin were used after antiquity, and who utilised these languages.
“My own research has always had a strong connection to Rome, Italy, and the Mediterranean region in general. It therefore feels natural to be in Rome with access to many relevant libraries and archives,” he explains.
Aims to create more opportunities
Since 1959, the institute has been a hub for Norwegian researchers and students in the humanities.
Lamers now hopes to strengthen Norway’s presence in the humanities and to cultivate further international opportunities for Norwegian researchers, both in Italy and other countries.
“Norwegian researchers can benefit from collaboration with international colleagues. The institute acts as a bridge between Norway’s academic community and the rest of Europe, and we are working to strengthen these connections,” he says.
Lamers believes that it is especially important to help young researchers connect with international colleagues, and he sees the institute playing a crucial role by providing a platform for collaboration and networking.
“I am committed to supporting talented young researchers in their academic careers, as this pathway can often be challenging. Networking and international collaboration can be critical for their development early in their careers.”
A meeting place for students and researchers
The institute started with a strong focus on art history and archaeology but now encompasses several disciplines.
“The institute is a meeting place for students and researchers with diverse academic backgrounds in the humanities. Therefore, we welcome both researchers and students working in fields such as history, history of ideas, classical languages, literary studies, philosophy, and other humanities,” says Lamers.
This breadth in the institute’s academic offerings has created excellent opportunities for interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary activities, which Lamers is highly passionate about.
“That’s why the institute in Rome feels almost like a natural home for me. It provides an excellent starting point for developing exciting collaborations across knowledge traditions in teaching, research, and doctoral education.”
He believes it is extremely important for students to experience the existence of different scientific traditions in multiple languages, which fosters the ability for critical thinking and understanding.
“A stay in Rome can certainly contribute to that,” he adds.
Lamers believes that access to archives, libraries, monuments, and excavations in Rome and Italy is often crucial for students and researchers, and the institute strives to facilitate this important access.
The institute also offers a variety of facilities for both researchers and students, including scholarships, office spaces, a library, reading rooms, and meeting rooms. In addition, they have guest apartments available for visiting researchers.
“We also offer internships for both Norwegian and international students, which I would like to develop further,” says Lamers.
Ready to help
The institute also provides support for various types of events. Lamers emphasises that these do not need to be large-scale events; they can assist with smaller workshops, meetings, and conferences.
“Just get in touch with us to explore the possibilities,” he says.
Lamers explains that the institute is currently in excellent shape – physically, following renovations; socially, with many events; and academically, with a lot of exciting activities. He wishes to preserve and continue this over the next four years.
“It’s a vibrant place where many exciting things are happening. We are very much looking forward to welcoming committed students and skilled researchers from the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Oslo, other places in Norway, and from abroad.”
On Wednesday, March 26, the Hans Rasmus Astrup Rome Prize for outstanding student work will be awarded. The ceremony will take place at the Astrup Fearnley Museum in Oslo.