About the Summer School in Social Sciences Methods

The Summer School is organised by the Insitute of Communication and Public Policy, Università della Svizzera italiana, in close cooperation with FORS, the Swiss Foundation for social science research. Every year, it offers several full-time workshops in two weekly sessions (second half of August).

Participants are PhD students, junior and senior researchers and practitioners from Switzerland and other countries working in a wide range of scientific disciplines: Psychology, Educational, Business Studies, Communication, Political Science, Sociology, Health Sciences, and many others.

All workshops are oriented towards practical applications and spend roughly half of their time on applied work and exercises. There is ample time to discuss and try to solve problems related to the work and research projects of the participants with instructors and fellow participants. Whenever possible, participants are strongly encouraged to work on their own data and research problems to get the most out of the Summer School experience.

Instructors are renowned specialists and experienced and enthusiastic teachers in their respective fields, and they will organise their courses in order to optimise opportunities for practical help and advice during the workshops.

Why should you attend the Summer School in Social Sciences Methods?

Methodology is the cornerstone of good scientific practice, and sound training in methodology will be essential for your professional future.
The various workshops on offer answer different needs you may encounter during your studies and career:

• If you need to acquire new or different tools and approaches not covered during your formal training;
• If you start working on a PhD project or get a job as (research) assistant or collaborator within academia or outside;

• If you are an experienced researcher and you need to acquire new techniques and additional skills.

  What to expect:

• Intensive one-week workshops, oriented towards real practical applications;
• Highly qualified instructors, experts in their field and open to discuss your research problems;
• Small groups of highly motivated participants with different backgrounds and research areas;
• Last but not least: the location.
• According to the evaluations sent in by the participants, the Summer School in Social Sciences Methods experience is highly appreciated: the quality of the courses, the exchange between participants and instructors and among fellow participants, the possibility to meet new colleagues (and often new friends), as well as the location have now been enjoyed by a few thousand participants from around the world.