COST co-organized Blended Learning Training School

Rationale

Co-organized with EMES, this training school follows a long list of editions which, since 2008, have gathered over 200 students and 100 researchers from over 40 countries. This second Empower-SE training school was to be held at University College Cork from 29^th June to 2^nd July 2020 but the outburst of the Covid-19 pandemic changed our plans, forcing us to reinvent the format so as to meet the needs and expectations of our PhDs and early career investigators (ECI).

During the lockdown of spring 2020, we have been working on designing a learning experience that matches the quality of previous schools. In this context, we will be presenting the next edition of the EMES training school based on a blended learning model. The idea is to combine work done individually, in smaller groups and in plenary sessions across two moments: two afternoons virtually on 23-24 October 2020 and half a day presentially next 21 June 2021 in Zaragoza (Spain).

PhDs constitute a central part of EMES as shown by the special membership category for PhD students and the seat reserved for PhD students in the EMES Board of Directors. Moreover, work continues to be conducted jointly resulting in outputs like: the publication of a PhD Reader; the launching of an EMES PhD Student Network in 2008 and the EMES Alumni Network in 2015; the creation of the dedicated EMES Junior Experts Blog (EJEB) in 2011; and the creation of an active Facebook group.

Social enterprises, often characterized by strong local involvement with an ability to combine different goals and resources, are increasingly viewed as an expression of collective social entrepreneurship with the capacity to contribute to sustainable regional and rural development.

In this context, the Empower-SE COST Action, EMES and CUBS, UCC jointly organize the 7th COST-EMES Training School aimed at early stage researchers and PhD students who conduct research in the wide “SE fields” and wish to strengthen their theoretical and methodological background. SE fields refer to social enterprise, social entrepreneurship, social economy and solidarity economy as well as social innovation.

PhD students coming from different disciplinary backgrounds (such as sociology, management, economics, political sciences, law, anthropology, geography, and so on) whose research projects are connected to this field are welcome to apply for this training school.

In this context, the Empower-SE COST Action, EMES and CUBS, UCC jointly organize the 7^th COST-EMES Training School aimed at researchers and PhD students who conduct research in the wide “SE fields” and wish to strengthen their theoretical and methodological background. SE fields refer to social enterprise, social entrepreneurship, social economy and solidarity economy as well as social innovation.

The 7th EMES Training school faculty body will include well-known professors from recognised research centres covering a wide spectrum of research themes, and this multi-disciplinary approach will represent a major strength for the participants.

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Training school hashtag: #7EMEStrainingschool