Empirical Bioethics Summer School

As announced earlier, the organisation of the Empirical Bioethics Summer School now invites applications to attend this June in Amsterdam.

Following the success of our Empirical Bioethics Summer and Winter Schools in June 2022 and 2023, there is another Summerschool on the practice and methodology of empirical bioethics research being organised in June 2025 in Amsterdam. The program will run over four days.

The Summer School is being organised by Jonathan Ives (University of Bristol), Michael Dunn (National University of Singapore), Jan Schildmann (MLU Halle-Wittenberg), and Bert Molewijk (Amsterdam UMC & VU university).

Who is the Summer School for?
The Summer School is designed to be a beginner/intermediate level course, aimed at researchers who have some familiarity with empirical bioethics already (either through previous introductory training, engagement with the literature, or through some (limited) practice). Whilst it is open to all, in the event that we are oversubscribed, priority will be given to applicants at that level.

As the Summer School will cover much of the same content as previous events, attendees at our previous Summer or Winter Schools should not apply. The language of the Summer School will be English.

What does the Summer School include?
Day 1 will focus on understanding what empirical bioethics is and exploring typologies of empirical bioethics. It will include talks from experienced empirical bioethics researchers about their own journey into the field, and it will give attendees an opportunity to present their own work (in breakout groups) and identify and agree on key learning outcomes for the school. Lunch and refreshments will be provided, and there will be a welcome dinner in the evening (free to attend).

Day 2 will explore the design of empirical bioethics research projects and consider what kinds of empirical research methods can be used. We will focus on how to carry out and incorporate qualitative research into empirical bioethics research and undertake a practical exercise. Lunch and refreshments will be provided, but you will need to arrange you own evening meal.

Day 3 will focus on the varied methodological approaches to integrating empirical methods with ethical analysis, and the challenges associated with these approaches. It will include experienced empirical bioethics researchers giving 'lessons from the field'. The day will finish with a question and answer session. Lunch and refreshments will be provided, but you will need to arrange you own evening meal.

Day 4 will have a student project focus, looking at your own work and your projects, with the opportunity for small group discussion to put your learning into practice. Lunch will be provided.

The cost for this event is $395. We are starting the first day at 1000 hrs and ending the last day at 1500 hrs, so that it will be feasible for many attendees to travel on the same day, reducing accommodation costs.

There is some funding for travel bursaries for participants from lower and middle income countries. These will be up to the value of 500 Euros, and you can apply for these when you apply for a place on the Summer school. If there are sufficient funds remaining we will make some smaller travel bursaries available to postgraduate students from elsewhere.

How do I apply?
Please complete this application form

NOTE: The deadline of application for the Summerschool is 15th of January 2025.
You will be notified asap if the candidates have been selected (probably the beginning of February).

How will applications be assessed?
Applications will be assessed by the organising team, and in the event that it is oversubscribed they will ranked based on how much the organisation team thinks you will benefit from attending and how much your attendance will add to the experience of other attendees - so please do take care to explain this clearly when filling out the form.

Contact information
If you have any questions please contact Jonathan Ives.

Feedback from the 2023 Summer School
"Aside from the actual knowledge gained in the EB summer school, it was lovely to meet the conveners and the other participants. I think for me it has been a rather lonely field and getting to see others working in the field was very encouraging. Hoping for long and fruitful engagements with everyone that I met"

"An inspiring and open atmosphere... which created the best conditions for learning. Also, the way it was structured with the division of topics in the three days felt very consequential - with one step logically leading to the next one."

"It was very topical (exactly what the doctor ordered) and addressed exactly the right questions I had going into the summer school. The hosts also went out of their way to make everyone comfortable (by hosting a dinner and providing lunch and coffee) and to accommodate our learning needs (even though the training agenda had already been pre-set."

"I loved the exchange with other scholars who are at the same stage as I am, because that is beneficial for current challenges and future possibilities. I also loved the whole framework for the content. It followed a good logic and gave me finally the impression of actually working in an established discipline."