SpARC Academy – The Springboard for Academic and Research Creativity

The SpARC Academy was founded in 2024 by Willy Sier (Anthropology), Lia Costiner (Art History), and Verena Seibel (Interdisciplinary Social Science). The overall aim of the SpARC Academy is to tackle the challenge many academics face but rarely discuss openly—the loss of creativity and joy in their work due to increasing pressure to publish, secure funding, and meet performance targets. Within the SpARC Academy, we want to offer a space where scholars can break free from rigid structures and reconnect with their passion. Through unconventional workshops and creative explorations, we blend insights from the arts, sciences, creative industries, and leadership training to spark fresh perspectives and collaborations. Our goal is to make creativity and joy central—not incidental—to academic excellence.