FAQ

Registration is only possible using the online registration form and is conditional on payment by online payment or bank transfer (within 30 days of receiving the invoice and no later than 2 weeks before the start of the course).

If you pay with online payment, you will be registered as soon as you receive the payment confirmation.

If you applied for the reduced (student) fee, a recommendation letter/copy of an official document stating your student status is required to make your registration final.

Registration deadline

Registration  will close as soon as the course is full, no later than three weeks before the starting date. Registration for the Interpretivism and Sensemaking course (26th of September - 31st of October 2024) will close on 31st of August.

The course is organised in the logic of a doctoral course, providing opportunities to grasp and discuss the key discourses and sensitising distinctions of a specific theoretical approach and/or research domain. It is also open to PostDocs who can benefit from such a foundational course.

Registration will open approximately five months before the start of the next course and will close as soon as the course is full, no later than three weeks before the starting date. Registration for the Interpretivism and Sensemaking course (26th of September - 31st of October 2024) will close on 31st of August.

Only if required (write to us if you need it); otherwise, USI will send you only a confirmation e-mail when payment has arrived.

The Doctoral School cannot grant credits. We only deliver a Certificate of Participation, i.e. we certify your attendance.

If you consider using the Doctoral School courses to obtain credits (ECTS), you will have to investigate at your home institution to find out whether they recognise the Doctoral School, how many credits can be earned for a workshop/course with roughly 28 hours of teaching, reading required between the sessions/modules, and completion of assessments set by the instructors.

We only deliver a Certificate of Participation, which certifies your presence. If this is important to you, make sure to investigate this matter before registering.

Yes, the laptop is required. We will provide you with the requested software used in the workshop.

Technical problems, like our server not working (problems, maintenance periods), disturbances on the Internet or in your local network, happen. Waiting some time usually makes the problem go away.

If you experience other internet related problems (web browsing, e-mail) the problem might be local or even specific to your computer. If nothing helps, drop us a note.

We will issue only one invoice per participant. If you have registered the second time to amend details for the invoice, please drop us a line at [email protected] 

Normally, other than the invoice and a confirmation of the receipt of your payment, you will receive our Handbook via e-mail a couple of weeks before your workshop starts and our Newsletter.

All information regarding the Doctoral School can be found on this website.

Subscribe to the mailing list in order to have more information about the courses.

You can apply for the reduced fee if you are enrolled in a PhD programme.

You need to send proof of your student status, a copy of a (valid) student ID, a letter of recommendation from your supervisor, or any document that shows that you are currently a student.

No, the Doctoral School is financed exclusively by participants' fees and has no resources of its own.

When a workshop you have selected is full, you will be placed on a waiting list, i.e. you cannot attend the course unless a place becomes free.

When a place becomes free, we will send you an e-mail message to ask whether you would like to attend. If you agree, we will also send an invoice. Your place will be confirmed upon payment.

If there are not enough confirmed participants the course may be cancelled.

If that happens, you will be informed by e-mail, and your fees will be refunded.

Please email [email protected] to cancel your registration.

Please note that if you cancel your registration for any reason, the following rules apply for refunding:

• External participants:
  • More than 12 weeks before the start of the course, we will retain CHF 50 to cover our administrative costs. For the Interpretivism and Sensemaking course, this deadline is Thursday the 4th of July 2024.
  • Between 6 and 12 weeks before the start date of the course, we will refund 50% of the paid fees. For the Interpretivism and Sensemaking course, this is between Friday the 5th of July 2024 and Thursday the 15th of August.
  • From 6 weeks before the start date of the course, no refunds will be made. For the Interpretivism and Sensemaking course, this deadline is Friday, the 16th of August 2024.

• USI participants: the fee is covered by USI. As places are limited, however, late cancellations (less than six weeks before the start of the course) or non-attendance will result in the student/researcher being responsible for the full course fee. For the Interpretivism and Sensemaking course, this deadline is Friday the 16th of August 2024.

Upon successful completion of a course, you will receive a Certificate of Participation via email, attesting to the participant's active presence during the course. Partial presence will be noted on the Certificate. Unfortunately, no certificate will be awarded to participants who have attended a workshop for less than 50% or who have not submitted the assignments (as requested by the instructor).

Yes, participation in all modules of the course is required, including those delivered in-person in Lugano.

Upon successful completion of a course, you will receive a Certificate of Participation via email, attesting to the participant's active presence during the course. Partial presence will be noted on the Certificate. Unfortunately, no certificate will be awarded to participants who have attended a workshop for less than 50%.

You can find the preliminary reading list in the course description. Before each course begins, you will receive a more detailed list of compulsory and suggested reading via email. There will be set reading for each session/module. Make sure you complete the reading before joining to get the most out of your participation.

Coffee and pastries on the morning of the second day of your visit to Lugano will be provided.

There is a student restaurant in the Main Building, as well as various vending machines (drinks, snacks). There are various takeaway providers opposite the campus, and several restaurants in close proximity to the University.