HERSS Summer School in higher education research and science studies
International perspectives on higher education research and science studies: Global citizenships
The forthcoming HERSS Summer School 2026 seeks to advance the international dissemination of research findings and foster the creation of collaborative scholarly networks. We are delighted to welcome participation from higher education researchers representing nearly every continent, and we warmly encourage additional contributions from around the world.
The Summer School will be hosted at Justus-Liebig-University in Giessen, Germany, from 28 September to 02 October 2026, and will run concurrently with two major events:
- The final conference of WP2 of the HESPRI Project (Grant Agreement nº 101086224)
- The German-Sino Higher Education Forum
Background
The global landscape is undergoing profound transformation. At a time when prevailing trends move away from globalization; international collaboration remains indispensable for higher education institutions and the research community. Within this context, higher education research and science studies assume renewed significance on several levels:
- They provide a forum for critical reflection on transformations within higher education systems, clarifying social and geopolitical shifts, and identifying potential solutions.
- They highlight divergent national, geopolitical, and global perspectives, which may not always align, but whose contrast enriches mutual understanding.
- They examine the changing dynamics of research, teaching, governance, and knowledge transfer. For example, while some higher education systems integrate AI in diverse ways, others prioritize critical engagement with its implications.
Call for contributions (HERSS) - Closed
The HERSS Summer School 2026 invites submissions from doctoral candidates and early-career researchers in higher education research and science studies across the globe. Senior researchers are also cordially welcome to participate in the program.
To stimulate meaningful exchange and collaboration, participants are required to submit:
- A motivation letter (approx. 250 words) outlining their interest in attending.
- An abstract of their research project (approx. 500 words) detailing theoretical framework, methodology, and central research question.
Selected participants will have the opportunity to present their research progress in dedicated sessions, benefiting from peer feedback. The Summer School will also feature keynote lectures and workshops by international experts.
Submissions should be sent to: globalcitizenship2026
Registration - open from 2 June
The registration tool is open from 2 June to 28 August 2026 - please click here
Programme - Preview
| Titles of Speeches by the Chinese Delegation at the Sino-German Conference | ||
| Session one | Guangcai YAN Professor, East China Normal University |
Exploration on the Strategy and Path for the Integrated Advancement of China's Higher Education, Science and Technology, and Talent Cultivation |
| Jianhua WANG Professor, Nanjing Normal University |
The dilemma and transformation of industrialized higher education system | |
| Hongjie CHEN Professor, Peking University / Ningbo University |
The Chinese view of the German University | |
| Tingzhu CHEN Professor, Huazhong University of Science and Technology |
On the Construction of China’s Independent Knowledge System: Insights from Kweichow Moutai | |
| Session two | Manli LI Professor, Tsinghua University |
Can Specialization Produce a Whole Person? — Hidden Assumptions of General Education in Chinese and German Elite Universities |
| Wei BAO Professor, Xiamen University |
Return Intentions of Chinese Researchers under Deglobalisation: Institutional Exclusion and Dual Institutional Embeddedness | |
| Hantian WU Professor, Zhejiang University |
Rethinking the voluntariness of academic return migration in times of crisis: the case of Chinese early career scientists | |
| Keynotes | ||
|
Teresa Carvalho |
CIPES, Aveiro, Portugal |
Higher Education and Gender |
|
Keynote 2 - to be announced |
|
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| Workshops | ||
|
Toru Yoshida |
Doshisha University, Japan |
Populism, Education and Political consciousness in Japan. |
|
Genevieve Gauthier |
University of Ottawa, Kanada |
From Vision to Reality: Understanding Governance Mechanisms in Curriculum-Making |
|
Tesfaye Semela Kukem |
University of Hawassa Äthiopien |
Civic education in Ethiopia |
|
Dorina Rosca |
Moldawien |
Crossing systems, connecting learners: International dynamics in teaching |
|
Ana Melo Maria João Rosa |
CIPES, Aveiro, Portugal |
Mapping the Metrics: How Digitalisation, Social Equity, and Sustainability Shape Quality in Higher Education |
|
Ahoud Al-Asfour Huda Alazmi |
PAAET / University of Kuwait, Kuwait |
Understanding Global Citizenship in Context: Comparative Perspectives from Kuwait and Germany |
|
Nicoleta Popa |
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Rumänien |
Digital Citizenship in Higher Education |
|
Sanda Caracentev |
American University of Moldova |
Speaking science, making policy: Comparative perspectives on the science-policy nexus in Moldova, Japan, and France. |
|
Sakine Weikert |
DAAD |
Kritische Partnerschaften in der Wissenschaft |
|
Daniel Höft |
Marburg University |
China-Competence Service-point (Central Hesse) |
|
Wengin Shen |
Peking University, China |
International Academic Mobility and the Rise of Chinese Universities: A History Since 1978 |
|
Feng Li |
Normal University Shanghai, China |
Different approaches and challenges in data-driven studies of PhD graduates' career trajectories |
|
Ji'an Liu |
University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China |
Graduate education in the era of artificial intelligence: challenges and opportunities |
|
Le Zhang |
Peking University, China |
China-Germany and Germany-China Higher Education Collaboration in Geopolitical Perspective |
|
Najoua Mohib |
University of Strasbourg, Okayama University, University of Turin |
Rethinking Higher Education for Inclusive Transformation: Internationalization Challenges and Gender Equity in Comparative Perspective |
Conference team
Michael Hölscher
Zhouer Li
Caroline Trautwein
Uwe Wilkesmann
Ahoud Al-Asfour
Maria Joao Rosa
Dorina Rosca
Ana Melo