EU-SPRI Summer School in Oslo: The Science System in the 21st Century

The summer school is aimed at PhD candidates, early stage researchers and science policy practitioners from the public sector, consultancies and similar. Application info at the bottom of the page.

About the EU-SPRI summer schools

The European Forum for Studies of Policies for Research and Innovation, EU-SPRI Forum, holds a series of winter and summer schools targeted at state-of-the-art training for PhD candidates. This series focuses on the study of innovation policy and supporting disciplines. It concentrates on current research and debates on innovation studies and associated fields, with emphasis on policy and pressing societal challenges. TIK Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture at the University of Oslo will host the fourth course in this series, following earlier courses at SPRU/University of Sussex, Utrecht University and CIRCLE/Lund University. The fourth course will focus on the science system using a mixture of lectures, debates and group work. It will include a combination of perspectives from science and innovation policy studies, STS and transition studies.

Backgorund for the topic: The science system in the 21st century

The science system seems to be under more pressure than ever. It is on the one hand expected to help contribute to solving society’s grand challenges including facilitating larger-scale transformations and transitions. Science is steered through a renewed interest in missions, new forms of engagement with publics, new ideas about responsibility and directionality, and new linkages across societal sectors. On the other hand, however, there seem to be a number of problems associated with modern scientific practice. Permanent jobs seem to be in short supply, universities and other research organisations face ever more detailed evaluation and auditing systems, digitalisation has hit scientific work and impact with full force, and some have criticised science for moving in a direction that will reduce its possibilities for meeting today’s great expectations.

Aims of this course

In the EU-SPRI summer school 2018, these topics will be discussed in light of contemporary texts and perspectives. Each day provides a lens into different aspects of modern science. The goal of the course is to enable participants to critically examine the framings of modern scientific work and science policy, reflect upon some aspects of the organisation of scientific work and the people involved, identify critical and new issues at the interface between science and society, and participate in debates on how science can contribute to transitions and other societal challenges.

How to apply

We accept applications from PhD candidates, early stage researchers and science policy practitioners from the public sector, consultancies and similar. The course is held on Blindern campus, University of Oslo. Application deadline: August 15th. Applications should be sent by email to Lene Angelskår (lene.angelskar@tik.uio.no), and include:

• Letter of motivation (max 1-2 pages)
• CV

The course is free of charge. Accomodation will be covered for applicants from EU-SPRI member universities. Participants are expected to pay for their own travel arrangements.

More information: contact professor Magnus Gulbrandsen (magnus.gulbrandsen@tik.uio.no)

Tentative schedule