Eu-SPRI Forum supports the intellectual and career development of early career SPRI researchers (doctoral candidates; PostDocs), most notably through doctoral programs, conferences, summer schools and mobility between the partner groups.
Early Career Research Training Schools · ECS
The field of research and innovation studies is diverse and has homes in different disciplinary areas. No regular PhD training events are held at European level, unlike for example the established ETIC schools for economists of technological change. Young researchers need dedicated events to acquire and exchange knowledge in two directions:
- Methods-based schools for acquiring new capabilities
- Topic-based schools.
The Eu-SPRI Forum supports ad hoc schools with some 25 students each for which EU-SPRI member organisations can apply. See latest ECS calls on Open Calls.
We have set up a series of training schools to provide comprehensive and coordinated guidance . Each school is located at the premises of one of our members, but delivered thorough a team involving colleagues from other EU-SPRI organisations. For each school a broad announcement to the STI policy community are being made.
EU-SPRI Training Schools Regular Series
Eu-SPRI runs early career school in its regular series of Schools. Each school will be announced widely, target groups are PhD students (year 2 and 3 in particular) from Eu-SPRI member and non-member organisations, as well as professionals in the area of STI Policy.
Teaching format: Each school consists of lectures, debates and assignments. The reading list is short and should focus on recent contributions. Assignments can include critical analysis, use of tools, conceptual clarifications, and policy reporting. Output of assignments will be put online, e.g., as blogs. The format will encourage students to bring in their own research into various sessions and discussions, but we do not aim for separate discussions about the work of individual students. Such individual training is much more central in other Eu-SPRI instruments.
The first Training school was held at SPRU, University of Sussex, in January 2017. It focused on long-term transformative change, including innovation policy for transformative change, inclusive innovation, policy mixes, transition governance, including issues of democracy and technocracy (role of experts and citizens), research impact, interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinary (this included practical training in how to write a blog), inclusive innovation, alternative science and technology indicators.
The school at Utrecht University will focus on actors, networks and institutions within innovation systems, institutional theory, network theory, modes of governance in innovation systems, (constructive) technology assessment, responsible innovation, user innovation, bibliometrics, patentometrics, (social) network analysis, demand-led innovation policy.
The school in Lund University will focus on geography of innovation, proximity, territorial innovation models (e.g. clusters, regional innovation systems), innovation in the core & periphery, globalization (global value chains, global production networks, global innovation networks), multi-scalar dimensions of networks, institutions and governance, geography of transitions, entrepreneurship, regional structural change, regional policy..
The school at University of Oslo will focus on the science system, science and technology studies, university-industry relations, the relationship between research and innovation, public understanding of science, IPR, healthcare research and innovation, scientific publishing, science and technology policy, research governance, research funding, research evaluation, impact assessment.
The school to be held at the University of Twente focuses on the governance of European R&I policies, policy rationales and the role of the state, the embedding of R&I in society, the making of R&I policies, foresight and technology assessment, governance in a multi-level system, R&I policy instruments and their design, demand-side and supply-side instruments, policy mixes, implementation and monitoring, policy learning, the impact of R&I funding and related indicators, recent developments in European STI policy and its governance.
Eu-SPRI Early Career Researcher Conferences · ECC
The aim of the Early Career Conferences is to gather together outstanding early career researchers with established academics for a series of exchanges about ongoing and new research in research and innovation policy. Early career researchers can network with one another, across institutions and countries, and with established researchers, and gain critical feedback on their work, as well as experience in critiquing the work of peers.
The Eu-SPRI Forum will support one conference per year. An ECC normally has 25-30 participants.
Eu-SPRI Early Career and PhD researcher
Circulation Scheme
The circulation of Early Career and PhD Researchers between the member organisations, is an important element of the training activities of the Eu-SPRI Forum network. It is part of the development of the European Training Platform, which the Eu-SPRI Forum aims to develop in the area of science and innovation policy studies. It addresses our objective of offering a European pathway to Early Career and PhD researchers in this field.
Eu-SPRI will award a lump sum of up to €3000 per regular visit candidate (for travel expenses and accommodation) and up to €1,500 for short-term candidates. This will be paid once the awardee is in situ at the host organisation.
A Research Visit Report is required after the stay at the host organisation.
Eu-SPRI Circulation Blog
Are you an eligible PhD student or Early Career Researcher at an Eu-SPRI institution and curious about applying for our Circulation Award? In our Eu-SPRI Circulation Blog you can read about the experiences of past awardees to get inspired about your Eu-SPRI Circulation application.