Standing Group on International Relations

EUROPEAN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS SUMMER SCHOOL

‘Rocking the Boat’ in EU-Russia Relations: Who, How and Why?

August 2-16, 2009 in Tartu, Estonia

The Standing Group on International Relations of the European Consortium for Political Research has the pleasure to announce the 2009 European International Relations Summer School session for Graduate students. The EIRSS 2009 will be hosted by University of Tartu, Institute of Government and Politics, Tartu, Estonia, on August 2-16, 2009.

Objectives

The objective of the 2009 European International Relations Summer School is to help graduate students acquire solid research competence in the field of EU-Russia relations by:

• expanding their understanding of the core policy problems, analytical puzzles, and theoretical debates driving contemporary research on EU-Russia relations;
• demonstrating how IR theories, concepts and methods can be used to explain and interpret EU-Russia relations and assessing the explanatory potential and limitations of the various approaches;
• familiarizing participants with state-of-the-art research in the field, discussing and assessing evidence produced by empirical inquiries into the state of EU-Russian relations
• combining theoretical discussions with presentations by policy practitioners and visits to organizations involved in policy-making, advocacy and research in the field of EU-Russia relations;
• offering all participants the opportunity to present individual research projects and to receive feedback from summer school instructors and other participants.

Summer School Director: Prof. Eiki Berg, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tartu

Summer School Assistants: Dr. Piret Ehin and Aleksandra Kamilova, Institute of Government and Politics, University of Tartu

Structure

APPLICATION INFORMATION

The programme is open to Ph.D.students and advanced MA students. It is expected that the applicants are conducting individual research on EU-Russia relations (presumably, as their dissertation/thesis project).

Application files should include the following:

• Application form
• CV (1-2 pages) 
• Letter of reference by the dissertation advisor
• Statement of purpose (2-3 pages) explaining the applicant’s motives for applying to the summer school program and the relevance of the EIRSS 2009 theme (EU-Russian relations) for the applicant’s individual research.    

Deadlines for submitting documents:  MARCH 15,  2009

Application files must reach University of Tartu by mail before deadline.

Application documents should be written in English.Please fill in the application form (TYPE or use CAPITAL LETTERS) and mail it along with required documents to:

The Summer School is not responsible for application files lost in the mail. When your application documents will reach us, we will inform you about this, so you can be sure that they were not lost in the mail.

Selection of Participants:

The EIRSS 2009 Board will make the selections in March 2009. In total 20 participants will be selected for EIRSS 2009.

Confirmation of Participation:

Accepted applicants will be required to confirm their participation by March 31st, 2009 at the latest.

Please note that in case of acceptance, an elaborated research paper or project description (min. 10 pages) must be submitted by June 30, 2009.

Requirements of participation

Upon completion of the programme, the participants earn 6 ECTS. In order to receive credit for the programme, the participants are required to:

• attend all lectures, seminars and study trips;
• read all required texts prior to arrival in Tartu;
• participate actively in discussions;
• submit their research project/research paper by June 30th, 2008 and present it at the summer school (see the description of Module IV for more information).

Certificates

The Summer School will issue a Certificate to those students who have fulfilled the requirements of the School in regard to attendance, participation and written work. Students will receive 6 ECTS credits for completing the Summer School.

Tuition fee

• € 150 for students from ECPR member institutions
• € 175 for all other students

The costs of one-day excursion in Tartu and surroundings of Lake Peipsi and the study trip to Tallinn are included in the tuition fee.

Scholarships

The EIRSS 2009 is highly subsidized by the ECPR and SGIR. However, students from ECPR member institutions may further apply for a grant towards their costs for tuition, travel and accommodation to the ECPR Mobility Fund. (For ECPR Mobility Fund, please contact:ecpr@essex.ac.uk). We will be able to free 7 participants from tuition fee based upon their application.

Payment

Tuition fees are to be paid by the second week of May, 2009, to finalize registration at the EIRSS 2009. Please do not make any transfers before you have been notified by the Summer School organizers that your application is accepted!

The fees will be collected by University of Tartu. Please use the following information for making a bank transfer:

Beneficiary’s name and address: the University of Tartu, Ülikooli 18, 50090 Tartu, Estonia
Beneficiary’s account: 10102000234007
IBAN: EE281010102000234007
Beneficiary’s bank name and address: SEB, Tornimäe 2, 15010  Tallinn, Estonia
SWIFT code: EEUHEE2X

Details: KSORG EIRSS_2009 (Participant’s Surname)

TRAVEL, TRANSPORTATION AND ACCOMMODATION

Arrival : August 1 and 2, 2009 (Saturday and Sunday)

Departure : August 16, 2009 (Sunday)

Participants will cover their costs of transportation (in case they will not get scholarship).

Visas

Participants are advised to check if they need to obtain Estonian visa in advance. If necessary, the Summer School will issue letters of invitation. The securing and cost of visas are the responsibility of participants. You may check visa requirements for visitors from your home country on the homepage of our Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Health Insurance

All summer school students are required to have international health insurance. Travel insurance is also recommended.

Transportation

We will inform you later on how the transportation from and to the airport will be organized.

Accommodation

Summer school organizers have pre-booked rooms in the Dorpat Hotel.These are double rooms, 26 EUR per person/1 night, including breakfast and ticket for free-entrance to night-club Atlantis. Hotel is situated in the city-center and it takes about 10 minutes walking to where EIRSS 2009 lectures are going to take place. In case you prefer different accommodation, feel free to book a room for yourself. You can check out different possibilities here.