The 10th EMES International Training School (#10EMEStrainingschool) aims to investigate and discuss epistemologies and methodologies for engaged research in the SE Field, which is especially important in a multiple crises context. There have been nine successful editions of the EMES Training Schools so far held at the University of Corsica (France) in 2008; Roskilde University (Denmark) in 2010, the University of Trento (Italy) in 2012; West University of Timișoara (Romania) in 2014; Glasgow Caledonian University in Glasgow (UK) in 2016; Aix-Marseille University in Marseille (France) in 2018; in a blended learning format led by University College Cork (Ireland) online in 2020 and face-to-face in Teruel in 2021; Seville (Spain) in 2022; and Trento (Italy) in 2024. The tenth edition will be held at the Louvain-la-Neuve by UCLouvain and ULiège (Belgium) in June-July 2026.

Some 350 PhD candidates and early career researchers (ERC) from over 45 countries have so far participated in these unique learning events. PhDs and ERC constitute a central part of EMES as shown by the special membership category for PhD students, the seat reserved for PhD students in the EMES Board of Directors, and various dedicated concrete activities.

PhD candidates and ERC coming from different disciplinary backgrounds (such as sociology, management, economics, political sciences, and so on) whose research projects are connected to this field are welcome to apply for this training school. Individual research projects can target different forms of collective action, including social movements, informal grassroots initiatives, and SSE organisations, as well as the context wherein collective initiatives and organisations are embedded (social, political, economic or cultural backgrounds).

EMES, CIRTES-UCLouvain and CES at HEC Liège-ULiège jointly organize the 10th EMES Training School aimed at researchers at early career levels, PhDs or completing Masters programs who are attracted to conduct research in the wide fields of social entrepreneurship and social enterprise, social economy and solidarity economy (the SE field). With this training school, EMES, CIRTES-UCLouvain and CES at HEC Liège-ULiège aim to:

• Strengthen the training of PhD students by means of methodological and theoretical lectures, debates, and professional workshops;
• Emphasise the research design, methodology and epistemological grounds involved in any research project, specifically in a doctoral and early-career path;
• For PhD candidates, provide personalised feedback and support via well-supported small group discussion sessions on participants’ research projects, their research questions, approaches and theoretical understandings; more precisely, in addition to various opportunities of informal discussion, at least a full hour will be devoted to every student’s research project within group sessions (for presentation by the student, feed-back by professors and their peers, discussion and synthesis of recommendations);
• For ECR, provide a trust-based environment to share future career plans and professional development. Sessions for ECRs will be self-organised with the support of the EMES PhD and ECR networks as a way to cater to their specific needs.
• Provide space for social and intellectual discussion so that doctoral students and ECR will have ample opportunity to establish and expand their own peer networks and benefit from contacts and feedback from established scholars;
• Encourage the engagement of a broad and diverse range of participants, including key actors (e.g., academics, policy makers, practitioners) at the local, national and EU levels. Exchanges with researchers from different countries, continents, cultures and academic disciplines will support stimulating reflections on research approaches, while discussions with practitioners in the field will expose participants to a first-hand experience that expands their capacity to address real life problems in a context of increased complexity.

Important dates

• Launch of the call for applications: 18th December 2025
• Application submission deadline: 20th February 2026
• Results of the selection process: 20th March 2026
• Opening of registration platform: 25th March 2026
• Registration deadline: 29th May 2026
• Arrival of participants: 29th June 2026