Celebrating 30 Years: Registrations Open for the 2026 Summer School in Social Sciences Methods

The Summer School in Social Sciences Methods celebrates 30 years, with its landmark 30th anniversary edition. Since its birth, the programme has been a benchmark for rigorous methodological training, and the 2026 edition – organised in collaboration with FORS – promises to be the most comprehensive yet. Registration is now officially open.

Designed specifically for doctoral students, researchers, and practitioners, this year's programme features 3 online workshops and 30 intensive one-week courses. From mastering foundational techniques to exploring the cutting edge of data science, the curriculum offers tailored pathways for every stage of the research journey.

New Frontiers and Returning Favourites

To mark three decades of excellence, several new courses that address the rapidly evolving landscape of social research have been introduced:

• AI & Surveys: Crafting On-line Surveys and AI Survey Assistance and Practical Machine Learning for Surveys, Panels, and Experiments.
• The Future of Academia: Academic Writing in the Age of GenAI and Design Your Academic Future.
• Advanced Analytics: Time Series Analysis for the Social Sciences and Building Insights from Qualitative Data Through Multiple Grounded Theory Approaches.

Following a brief hiatus, two highly requested courses—Design Thinking for Research and Visual Data and Visual Methods—are returning to the curriculum

The complete programme is available for viewing, and registration is open until 17 July 2026. Participation is free for USI doctoral and postdoctoral researchers.