The EMCDDA and the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL) are pleased to open registration today for two upcoming joint events in 2022: the European Drugs Winter School (EDWS) and the European Drugs Summer School (EDSS) (1) (2).
EDWS: 14–25 February 2022 (online): Following the success of the first EDWS in 2021, the organisers have decided to deliver the second virtual EDWS in 2022, this time on the theme of ‘Cannabis: practice, policies and debates in the EU and beyond’. Adopting a similar structure to the 2021 edition, the two-week course will feature live lunchtime lectures with experts and practitioners, followed by afternoon exercises. Virtual fieldwork tours will also be offered. Completion of exercises and an exam are compulsory for those wishing to obtain credits. The sessions will be recorded and available for subsequent viewing. Increasing the offer of online training is in line with the EMCDDA’s digital transformation objectives.
EDSS: 27 June to 8 July 2022 (Lisbon): This time, the two-week course will focus on ‘Community-based interventions for drug-related issues’. Sessions will include lectures on community-based interventions, such as low-threshold facilities, drug consumption rooms and outreach units. Study visits will be organised to one of the Portuguese commissions for dissuasion as well as a local harm reduction centre. During the course, students will participate in interactive workshops to discuss their own projects and views. The course will conclude with an open debate with guest speakers, followed by an exam for those wishing to obtain credits. All recommended COVID-19 safety measures will be put in place, if applicable. Deposits and fees will be reimbursed if the summer school is cancelled in case of force majeure.
The target audiences for the two events are: university students, researchers, professionals and administrators interested in working on drug issues. The previous rounds of these courses brought together students from the EU Member States as well as from Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas. Profiles of former alumni and their testimonials can be found on the official summer school website and their statements viewed in a promotional video (3).
The courses prepare professionals and students to meet the complex policy challenges that face Europe in the field of drugs. Involving scientific experts from the EMCDDA, university professors and policymakers, they provide a multi-disciplinary and inclusive approach to the study of the drugs problem in Europe and beyond.
Details on scholarships in 2022 are available on the event web pages. Both events will be conducted in English.
