Union Académique Internationale update

Matters arising from the plenary discussion

Communication and web presence
Several delegates observed that UAI’s outward-facing communication – particularly website clarity and timely updates – could better reflect the scope and currency of its work. This affects discoverability for external bodies and, at times, even for member academies. The point was raised constructively, with the shared aim of making UAI’s impact better recognised and to facilitate enlargement of international participation.

International breadth
There was strong interest in broadening UAI’s global reach, and Africa was thematised in the discussion. A practical challenge is that potential partners in some regions lack a direct equivalent to a national academy, and – even among current members – constituent bodies vary widely in structure. No single solution was agreed; in subsequent conversations I suggested starting from regional priorities identified by scholars and institutions, then matching these to UAI mechanisms.

Research standards in the digital/AI era
Professor Almut Hintze offered valuable remarks on long-term digital preservation and readability. The broader question – how UAI should articulate research standards in an AI-enabled scholarly environment – remains open. Given UAI’s historic role in establishing research standards, there is an opportunity to convene practical guidance on transparency, provenance, citation, and reproducibility for digital and AI-related methods.

Diversity of topics and methods
Many UAI projects continue to concentrate on ancient, medieval and early-modern subjects, with welcome growth in digital approaches. The Korngold presentation (a digital, multi-disciplinary edition of a 19th–20th-century figure) was received with interest and generated numerous questions – not because it was problematic but rather because it was inspiring. The enthusiastic questioning signalled a healthy appetite for a broader range of methods and periods, including cultural-heritage and more contemporary work.

Points of interest for NZ participation

Varieties of English in the Indo-Pacific: This programme explicitly plans New Zealand English work in the forthcoming cycle and is an immediate access point for NZ participation. I discussed NZ involvement at the General Assembly and will follow up with the project lead, via Professor Sam Lieu, to formalise opportunities, especially for early-career researchers.

Digital, multi-disciplinary editions: The scholarly lecture on editing the music of Erich Wolfgang Korngold highlighted a multi-disciplinary, digitally enabled approach (critical editing and platform development) to a late-19th/20th-century topic. This trajectory aligns well with NZ strengths in musicology and cultural heritage. I am in touch with Prof. Friedericke Wissmann.

Observation of large digital infrastructures: I discussed the general topic of oral histories with Ingela Nilsson. The idea of working with oral histories across times and places suggests an opening for Pacific rim projects involving Māori and Pacific histories.

Women Delegates’ Network

I recorded and contributed to the first meeting of the UAI Women Delegates’ Network. A draft transcript and 1-page of minutes and next steps have been prepared for the Chair’s review. The network intends to operate as a professional forum: an opt-in list, one or two online check-ins between General Assemblies, and (if helpful) a small coordinating group. Immediate benefits for NZ include visibility for women Fellows and early-career researchers and a channel to exchange resources across languages and regions.