The busy summer of USI with its advanced training in research methods

The summer season is always a busy one for USI, with the many training courses in which young academics from all over the country and abroad participate, taking advantage of the break between semesters to further their knowledge in various disciplines. Among the several summer schools organised on the Lugano campus, this year we find the 24th Summer School in Social Science Methods, organised by USI in collaboration with FORS, the Swiss Centre of Competence in Social Sciences. The particular situation created by the Covid-19 pandemic has led USI to organise the summer school in 'blended' mode, with part of the courses and participants at a distance, an experiment that could serve as a model for the future.

From August 14 to 28, over one hundred young academics - PhD students, researchers, etc. - will join the USI Lugano campus to spend ten days attending seminars, workshops and other practical and training activities, to refresh, deepen and widen their knowledge and methodological skills in the various scientific disciplines in which they specialise, such as psychology, economics, communication, political science, sociology, health science, and others.

As Prof. Benedetto Lepori, scientific co-director of the Summer School, explains, "Methodology is the basis of good scientific practice and a solid methodological training is essential for the professional future of every academic researcher and researcher. The Summer School allows USI to strengthen its offer of doctoral training and the exchange of experience between our PhD students and those from other Swiss universities".

For Prof. Patrick Gagliardini, Pro-Rector for Research, "Doctoral studies represent one of the pillars of academic research and its strengthening is a strategic objective of USI in its Planning for the period 2021-2024; with the training of doctoral students and researchers, USI not only contributes to academic research, but also to higher education of qualified personnel who can bring advanced skills to private research centers and public administrations".

Full details at
www.usi.ch/en/education/ssm