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City-Focus: Building knowledge, shaping cities
Nurturing young researchers in urban science
Call for Applications – Spring School 2026
14–18 April 2026, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași
The Centre for European Studies (CSE) of Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași is delighted to announce the upcoming Spring School
2026. The event is supported by the RSAI Nurturing Talent Program and is designed to support early-stage researchers through a
combination of lectures, analytical workshops, and interactive discussions addressing urban resilience, spatial modelling, and urban data
collection.
This intensive training program – “Building Knowledge, Shaping Cities: Nurturing Young Researchers in Urban Science” – brings together
leading international scholars and emerging researchers to explore the complexities of contemporary urban transformations.
About the Event
The Summer School will take place between 14 and 18 April 2026 in Iași, Romania—one of the country’s major academic and cultural
centers. The event will be hosted by the Centre for European Studies (CSE) at Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași.
Participants will engage in:
•
Lectures delivered by internationally renowned experts
•
Methodological workshops (GIS, machine learning, academic writing)
•
Field visits and guided tours on urban regeneration
•
Roundtable discussions with local stakeholders
•
Research presentations with feedback from senior scholars
Lecturers:
• Özge ÖNER, Cambridge University • Andrés RODRÍGUEZ-POSE, London School of Economics • Fernando RUBIERA MOROLLÓN, University of Oviedo • Vinko MUŠTRA, University of Split …alongside members of the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University research community. Read more about lectures and programmeSelection of participants
The spring scholl will aim to gather PhD students, post-doctoral students, and young researchers from any research field working on digitalization, smart development, smart city and other related topics who are trying to answer the above mentioned challenges. The selection will be based on an application including a CV (one page), a research project summary (one page) and a letter of motivation (one page). The maximum number of participants accepted is 25. Attention will be paid to gender, age and regional balance when selecting the participants.Who should apply?
PhD students, postdocs and junior researchers with less than 5 years of research experience (from PhD diploma award). The Summer School intends to bring together smart regional science academics from across Europe and the World. In addition to these criteria, the organizers will look for a mix of international participants.Why Apply?
This Summer School offers: • Access to cutting-edge methodologies in urban and regional science; • Guidance from internationally recognized experts; • Opportunities for academic networking; • A stimulating environment for refining research and publication strategies; • Hands-on field experience in urban regeneration processes; • A friendly atmosphere, working within an international exchange setting.How to apply
Applications must be submitted by email and include (in PDF format): • A two-page CV of the applicant; • A one-page summary of their research interests to the themes of the program [template].Registration
After notification of acceptance, the accepted applicants must register and pay the participation fee before the registration & payment deadline. The registration link will be sent by mail to all successful applicants. Participation fee: €200 The fee includes: • Accommodation for 5 nights in a shared room - breakfast included; • Lunches and coffee breaks throughout the Summer school; • Welcome reception, oficial dinner, closing reception and social events. Please note: Participants must cover their own travel expenses to/from the Sping School venue.Practical Information
Key Dates • Call for Application start: 10 December • Application deadline : 1 February • Notification of acceptance: 10 February • Payment deadline: 27 February Venue: The Spring School will be held in person at Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Romania, from 14–18 April 2026, Accommodation More information will be communicated in due time.Travel information: Getting to Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Romania
How do I get to Iasi? Iași airport serves as a base of operation for national and low-cost airlines and has multiple flight connections with major European cities. A map with the major direct connection from Iasi can be find below. Furthermore, Iasi has multiple daily flights to Bucharest Airport, which is connected to over 100 European destinations.
About IAȘI
Iași (also referred to as Jassy or Iassy) is the largest city in eastern Romania and the seat of Iași County. Located in the Moldavia region,
Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life. Known as The Cultural
Capital of Romania, Iași is a symbol in Romanian history. Still referred to as The Moldavian Capital, Iași is the main economic and
business centre of the Moldavian region of Romania.
Home to the oldest Romanian university and to the first engineering school, Iași is one of the most important education and research
centres of the country, and accommodates over 60,000 students in 5 public universities. The social and cultural life revolves around the
Vasile Alecsandri National Theater (the oldest in Romania), the Moldova State Philharmonic, the Opera House, the Tătărași Athenaeum, a
famous Botanical Garden (the oldest and largest in Romania), the Central University Library (the oldest in Romania), the high quality
cultural centres and festivals, an array of museums, memorial houses, religious and historical monuments (Source: Wikipedia)
Useful information about Iasi (history, siteseeing, accommodation etc.) can be find
here
