The IPEP Summer School will consider theories and methods relevant across the field of educational policy research. It is designed for PhD students, but also relevant to postdoctoral fellows and researchers of policy in all areas of education.

IPEP builds on a cooperation agreement between the University of Verona (Department of Human Sciences) and Aalborg University (Department of Culture and Learning). It stems from a synergy between these universities, the University of Nottingham (School of Education), and the Institute of Research on Population and Social Policies of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IRPPS), co-founders of the International Research Centre for Global and Comparative Policy Studies on the Education and Learning of Adults (IRC-GloCoPoS).

The Summer School will include an explicit focus on policy related to higher and adult education, and the specific content of activities will be developed considering the participants’ profiles.

In continuity with past years’ seasonal schools (in Verona and Aalborg), this IPEP Summer School will provide participants with an opportunity to learn about, and discuss:

• The nature and the role of ‘theory’ in the understanding of educational policy
• The relationship between global, national, and institutional governance in education
• The strengths and limits of document analysis, discourse analysis and educational ethnography to investigate education policy
• Urgent education policy issues in the countries represented by the participants.

This summer school is carried out as a unique opportunity for the participants to experience and collaborate on a policy ethnographic fieldwork in an international perspective. It is innovative in respect to have the participants doing a real fieldwork and thus learning the tools of education policy ethnography in practice. This concept has proved very successful in the past years, where we have had participants from all over the world, who have been particularly pleased with its strongly practice-based character.

In 2024, it will take place at Aalborg University (Denmark) from August 18 to 23, 2024. The days of fieldwork will be organized in collaboration with the UCN (University College of Northern Jutland) and will be focused on the recent reform of the teacher training programme in Denmark.

See the programme here.

How to apply

Send a brief CV (one page), accompanied by a letter describing your current area of studies, research or professional activity, and your motivation for participating in the IPEP Summer School (one page) extended deadline June 15th, 2024, to the following email address jband@ikl.aau.dk

The IPEP Faculty will select candidates and confirm acceptance by June 15th, 2024.

Approved candidates should register (free of charge) by June 26, 2024, by filling in the online form on the website below (made available in June).

Expected costs

Enrollment is free of charge.
Participants should cover their own travel and accommodation costs, as well as all dinners.

Coffee/tea/water will be provided.

ESREA TRAVEL BURSARIES will be available! Please check on the website