Empower the next generation of linguistics

MEDAL’s mission is to build expertise in data-driven linguistic methodology across the international consortium. We do this by:

Supporting early-career researchers with mobility grants
Developing collaborative research projects between the partner institutes
Providing training in linguistic research methods and soft skills

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Upcoming events

March 25, 2025

MEDAL admin: Institutional visit Tartu-Nijmegen

On 25-28 March staff from Tartu will pay a visit to their partner institutes at Nijmegen: Radboud University and the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics. Funded by the European Commission (EU Horizon Europe programme; 101079429) and UK Research and Innovation ...

April 04, 2025

Launch of the Centre for Multilingualism at the University of Tartu

The Institute of Estonian and General Linguistics at the University of Tartu is establishing a Centre for Multilingualism on the 4th of April to advance research and public engagement in multilingualism. To mark the opening, the Centre is hosting a ...

April 08, 2025

Workshop on working with sensitive data in linguistics

On April 8th and 9th, Henk van den Heuvel (Radboud University) will give training to staff of the Institute of Estonian and General Linguistics. The workshop Privacy by Design in Linguistic Research was set up to accommodate the request for ...

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My best memory of my MEDAL Mobility visit was learning new technical skills and swimming the river Waal!

Pärtel Lippus

Associate Professor of Estonian Phonetics Partel Lippus

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A building of the Radboud campus in Nijmegen with students sitting on the grass in front of it.

International consortium

Methodological Excellence in Data-Driven Approaches to Linguistics (MEDAL) is an international consortium initiated by the University of Tartu in Estonia, in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics and Radboud University in the Netherlands and the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. The project is funded
by the European Commission’s Twinning instrument and UK Research and Innovation.

University of Tartu

Max Planck Institute for
Psycholinguistics

Radboud University

University of Birmingham

Frequently asked questions

Got a question? Check if the answer is here! If you can’t find the answer to your question here, feel free to contact us.

What does MEDAL stand for?

MEDAL stands for Methodological Excellence in Data-Driven Approaches to Linguistics. Our aim is to empower the next generation of linguistics by providing training in research methods for early-career researchers and other affiliated researchers.

Which methods does MEDAL provide training in?

The main focus is on three methodologies: corpus linguistics, experimental linguistics and computational modelling. There is expertise in these methods across the partner institutions.

Which institutions are part of the MEDAL consortium?

MEDAL is an initiative of the University of Tartu, Estonia, in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics and Radboud University in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

How long will the MEDAL project last?

Three years, from January 2023 until December 2025.

Who qualifies as an early-career researcher?

You are an early-career researcher if you are an MA student, PhD Candidate or if it’s been 7 years or less since you defended your PhD.

I am an early-career researcher, can I apply for funding?

In general, MEDAL mobility funding is available to members of the MEDAL consortium partner institutions. Please check our Mobility page to see what type of funding you are eligible for.

What kind of support do you provide for early-career researchers?

We organise workshops on various topics including academic and soft skills useful in your academic career. Each year we hold a summer school highlighting the core methodologies in MEDAL: Corpus Linguistics (2023, Tartu), Experimental Methods (2024, Nijmegen), and Computational Modeling (2025, Birmingham). We also provide funding for research exchanges between the four partner institutions and for travel to the summer schools.

Are your events accessible?

Most events are either hybrid or fully online and thus accessible for everyone with an internet connection. If you have any accessibility needs, please do not hesitate to reach out to us and we will attempt to find the best solution together. You can also check out our Diversity & Inclusion Policy.

I missed the application deadline for applying for mobility funding. Can I still apply?

As a rule, applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Exceptions to this rule are subject to the availability of remaining funds and the ability to process the application.

I can’t attend an event live. Where can I find the materials or recordings?

You can find them at the Events page, under the sub-header ‘Resources’ of the event in question. Note that not all events are recorded.