Call for Applications: 2025 School in Hospitaller Archival Studies
Florence, Italy | 15–19 September 2025

The Department of Library, Information & Archive Sciences, and the Department of History at the University of Malta, with the support of RSSD funds, in collaboration with the State Archive of Florence and the Malta Study Center at HMML, are pleased to invite applications for the upcoming School in Hospitaller Archival Studies.

The weeklong seminar “Malta and the Order of Saint John in Europe (16th–18th Centuries): Documents, People, Institutions” offers a unique opportunity to explore the archival heritage of the Order of Saint John across Europe, with a particular focus on the rich and largely untapped Hospitaller archives in Florence.

This intensive programme is designed to train participants in identifying, analysing, cataloguing, and researching Hospitaller records. It also examines the broader historical and legal contexts in which these documents were created and preserved, offering insight into the institutional, diplomatic, spiritual, and social life of the Order.

As part of the school, students will visit the Malta Study Center’s digitization studios in Florence and be introduced to the basics of modern digitization practices within an archival setting. The visits will discuss the importance of preparing materials for photography and adapting digitization methods for different types of documents.

Programme Highlights:

• Held at the State Archive of Florence
• Class-based lectures with leading experts
• Hands-on archival and preservation lab sessions
• Guided visits to private archives and collections

Eligibility & Application:
The School is open to:

• Undergraduate students (2nd and 3rd year)
• Master's and PhD students
• Postdoctoral researchers
• Archival professionals
• Other interested individuals (subject to availability)

A maximum of 30 participants will be selected by the organising committee.
Teaching will be in English, but a working knowledge of Italian and/or Latin is recommended.

To apply, please submit your CV and a letter of motivation to valeria.vanesio@um.edu.mt
Deadline: 15 June 2025
The full programme will be announced soon.

Fees:
Tuition is free. Optional external activities may incur additional costs.
Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation. Organisers can provide assistance with practical arrangements upon request.

Timetable

Scientific Coordinators:
Dr Valeria Vanesio
Dr Emanuel Buttigieg
Dr Francesca Fiori
Dr Daniel K. Gullo