CALL FOR host institution for
ECREA MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION DOCTORAL Summer School 2025-26

ECREA is opening a call for proposals for the hosting of the 2025 and 2026 edition of the European Media and Communication Summer School.

ECREA European Media and Communication Doctoral Summer School is established to support integration of PhD students within Europe and beyond into an academic culture in constructive and supportive manner, respectful towards disciplinary differences, inclusive across different aspects of media and communication fields and methodologies. They are intended to facilitate network-building that will last across academic career paths and to promote inclusive intellectual and organisational culture that ECREA stands for.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

• The host institution must be a university, HE institution or other suitable organisation working in the field of communication research and education, have experience with PhD education, and have sufficient experience in organising academic events and sufficient capacity (staff and support) to prepare and run the event.
• The host institution must be ECREA institutional member.
• The Summer School must have broadly speaking a European location, though potential host institutions are by no means limited to those from EU-member states. The location should be affordable and accessible.

The host institution will be selected to organise the 2025 and 2026 editions of the Summer School with an option to extend the collaboration for an additional year.

HOW TO APPLY

The Executive Board of ECREA has developed a framework document which defines the format and gives guidelines for the organisation of the Summer School. You can access the document here.

Interested institutions are asked to submit proposals for hosting the 2025-2026 Summer School, which must take the form of a document where candidate host institutions will:

1.     Describe their general vision of the event (including the location, timing, duration and their organisational capacity) and provide the basic information regarding the way their proposal will meet ECREA's requirements.

2.     Propose a draft financial plan.

3.     Sketch out the strengths and weaknesses associated with the proposal.

The proposed draft financial plan can be made using following figures:

•  45 students

·       16 lecturers

Total duration of the summer school should be between 7-9 full working days and is attended by up to 50 students and up to 18 lecturers. For details on costs of the programme please see Summary report on 2023 Summer School . In contrast to the summer school of 2019 and due to the ongoing pandemic, we ask the candidates to offer accommodation to all participants of the summer school in single-rooms.

The candidates are advised to use current fees in their initial calculations (990 Euros ECREA members, 1150 Euros ECREA non-members), however finding more budget-friendly options is much encouraged. Candidates are invited to consult on budgetary issues prior to submitting the proposal.

FURTHER INFORMATION AND CONTACTS

Interested institutions should contact ECREA's General Secretary Andra Siibak (andra.siibak@ut.ee) or International Director Pille Pruulmann Vengerfeldt (info@ecrea.eu) for additional information regarding the Summer School programme and guidelines on budget.

Links to documents:

• ECREA European Media and Communication Doctoral Summer School Host Guidelines
• Summary report on 2023 Summer School 
• Summary report on 2022 Summer School
• Summary report on 2019 Summer School

DEADLINE AND SUBMISSION

Proposals must be submitted by 15 February 2024. The proposals must be sent by e-mail (attachment in MS Word or .pdf format) to ECREA's General Secretary Andra Siibak (andra.siibak@ut.ee).

The ECREA Executive Board will then select one institution to act as local host, and possibly one runner-up to step in, in case the selected host encounters unforeseen difficulties.

At least one representative of the selected local host is invited to attend the Summer School a year before the organisation of their event (5-11 August 2024).

TIMELINE

The timeline of the selection process will be as follows:

• 15 February 2024: the call is closed. ECREA Executive Board considers applications and selects one which complies with all criteria. Interviews with the best candidates will be organized to clarify all the details.
• 10 April2022: The Executive Board announces the selected host institution to all institutional members that have applied. If appropriate, the Executive Board also selects a runner-up institution to host the conference should the selected institution be unable to deliver. The selected institution is asked to develop a full organisational plan in close cooperation with ECREA Bureau.
• August 2024: Selected host institution sends at least one representative to 2024 ECREA Summer School
• November 2024: The host institution develops full organisational plan by 25 November 2024 at the latest. An Agreement for organising ECREA Summer School is drafted and signed by the end of December 2024 at the latest. 
• Call for participants is announced January 2025.