Towards a National Collection started with a UK-wide research and development programme, funded through UKRI’s Strategic Priorities Fund and delivered by the AHRC. This five-year initiative concluded in March 2025 and has laid the essential groundwork for the National Research Infrastructure for Cultural Heritage (N-RICH) Prototype, a two-year initiative, launched in July 2025, delivered in collaboration between the Towards a National Collection programme and AHRC, funded by UKRI.
The N-RICH Prototype project will explore the potential for a UK-wide digital collections research infrastructure, designed to enhance access to and engagement with the UK’s cultural heritage collections. The Prototype will test key components and inform future infrastructure development. Core activities will include a Digitisation Capability Pilot, a Prototype infrastructure, and three cross-cutting research frameworks on environmental impact, ethics, and cybersecurity.
MORE INFORMATION:
National Research Infrastructure for Cultural Heritage (N-RICH) Prototype: https://www.nationalcollection.org.uk/n-rich-prototype
Towards a National Collection: https://www.nationalcollection.org.uk/
Towards a National Collection seeks a Senior Technology Advisor and a Senior Technical Product Advisor. The Senior Technology Advisor will focus on the technical specifications and technical architecture of the N-RICH prototyping work and frameworks. The Senior Technical Product Advisor will help shape the product vision, translate user needs into requirements, and contribute to procurement processes for the N-RICH prototype and research frameworks. To access detailed information about these tender opportunities, please first register for free on the Public Contracts Scotland portal (https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/) and then use the links to each opportunity provided below.
LINKS:
Senior Technology Advisor (Public Contracts Scotland Reference Number: JUL534169):
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUL534169
Senior Technical Product Advisor (Public Contracts Scotland Reference Number: JUL534168):
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUL534168