VI International Summer School on Higher Education Research

The Institute of Education at National Research University Higher School of Economics (Moscow) invites early-career scholars, doctoral students and institutional researchers to apply for the upcoming

Applicants with backgrounds in all relevant fields (sociology, economics, political science, education, public administration, management, psychology, etc.) are encouraged to apply for the 2018 International Summer School.

Bringing together both young and accomplished professionals in various domains of educational scholarship, the Summer School will serve as a vibrant academic venue to provide unique learning and networking opportunities by sharing multifaceted perspectives on issues topping today’s agendas in multidisciplinary educational studies. This exchange of opinions and expertise will help advance our understanding of higher education and foster the integration of young researchers into the global professional community.

This year, the Summer School will focus on the social and economic contribution of higher education. In many countries, expanding systems of higher education have been under public and governmental pressure to demonstrate their relevance and utility. Recent policies and much of public discourse have largely emphasized the economic role of higher education, but theoretical and empirical research increasingly questions that supposition. Higher education cannot and does not propel economic growth, cannot and does not operate as a classical (quasi-) market, cannot and does not ensure good graduate jobs. But still it does largely protect graduates from unemployment, fosters mobility, encourages internationalization and enriches the lives of individuals and communities. It is time for researchers to re-think the social and economic contribution of higher education in modern societies and provide a more accurate basis for public discussion and policies.

The Summer School faculty and participants will discuss such topics as: 

• Key conceptual approaches to analyzing social and economic contribution of higher education: higher education and economic growth, human capital theory, employability, regional development, higher education and the social structure of society, social and geographical mobility, etc.
• Contribution of higher education to social solidarity and wellbeing
• Contribution of higher education to individuals and communities  
• The roles of the state, society and markets in shaping social and economic contributions of higher education
• Analysis and evaluation of social and economic contributions of higher education
• Various national models of how higher education contributes to the economy and society. 

The confirmed faculty of the Summer School includes distinguished international researchers and experts in higher education with different professional backgrounds: 

• Isak Froumin, Head of Institute of Education, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Russia
• Simon Marginson, Director and Professor, Centre for Global Higher Education, Institute of Education, University College London, the UK
• Pedro Teixeira, Director, Research Centre on Higher Education Policy (CIPES) and Associate Professor, Faculty of Economics, University of Porto, Portugal
• Jussi Välimaa, Director and Professor, Institute for Educational Research, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
• Po Yang, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Education and Research Fellow, China Institute of Education Finance Research, Peking University, China
• Steven Brint, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Public Policy, University of California, Riverside. 

The format of the Summer School includes seminars, discussions of participants’ research projects, workshops on research methodology and writing academic papers.

The working language of the Summer School is English. Participants must possess a strong command of spoken and written English.

The participation fee is EUR 380 for double accommodation and EUR 480 for single accommodation. It covers lodging for 6 nights, three meals daily, coffee breaks, welcome and farewell dinners, and excursions. Travel to/from St. Petersburg will be covered by the participants. Ten scholarships will be provided to cover participation fee for applicants selected on a competitive basis.

Please consider that you might need to apply for Russian visa in order to travel to St. Petersburg (check with a Russian consulate in your country).

To apply, please submit the following via this online application form: 

• A summary of your current research project in higher education (you will be expected to present this at the Summer School), including the objectives of the study, its theoretical/conceptual framework, methodology/design, and significance (in English, 500–1000 words). Please do your best while preparing this document as its quality will be one of the main selection criteria
• A personal statement explaining your interest in the Summer School (in English, 300–500 words)
• A recent CV detailing your education and work experience, publications and other professional activities. 

The applicants shortlisted for participation in the Summer School will be announced by March 31, 2018.

The deadline for application is MARCH 25, 2018.

The Organizing Committee:

Anna Smolentseva, Senior Researcher, HSE Institute of Education

Nelly Pavlova, Manager, HSE Institute of Education

Anna Garmonova, Director of the Doctoral School of Education, HSE Institute of Education

Isak Froumin, Head of HSE Institute of Education.

Should you have any queries or require additional information, please contact Nelly Pavlova at +7 495 623 5249, email: nellypavlova@hse.ru.

Check out more about IOE International Summer Schools at this link.