Programme
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Call for papers 2026
To be launched on 29 January 2026
Classes
Assignments
1. Plenary Lectures
The faculty presents its own current research and introduces or discusses theoretical and methodological frameworks within their disciplinary approach. Their lectures are followed by Q&A. The public lecture is open to the general audience of UCSIA. Join us at the UCSIA-house in Antwerp or via livestream.
2. Parallel Paper Sessions
The faculty members each tutor a group of five students of relating disciplines. In these small groups they will thoroughly discuss the papers of the group members. Each paper is allotted 25-30 minutes for its presentation, the remaining 60 minutes will be used for discussion.
In preparation of each session, students are asked to read the respective papers in advance. The active participation of students is required in order to ensure an enriching and lively discussion.
3. Individual tutorial
Students are invited to book an appointment (15 minutes/slot) with a tutor to receive personal feedback on conceptual, methodological or multidisciplinary problems within their own research project.
1. Paper presentation
During this 90-minutes session students will have the chance to present their research project and signal the difficulties they are facing in their particular research phase. The time allocated for the presentation of the research project is 25-30 minutes. Students are free to use visual aids or audiovisual equipment during the presentation. After the presentation, the assigned tutor and two respondents from the peer group will provide feedback (5-10 minutes each). The remaining time will be used for discussion.
2. Response
Each student will be a respondent during two presentations. A respondent should try to find the main problems in the research project and give useful feedback on research questions, concepts, methodology, ethics… Next to that, they can give the presenter some challenging insights from their own field of expertise. The scientific committee matches the presenters and the respondents based on research topic, discipline and research phase. In order to prepare thoroughly for this assignment, the detailed schedule and syllabus will be made available online by mid-July.
Preliminary schedule 2026
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
9.00 - 10.30 am UTC+2
Welcome breakfast
Welcome & introduction by UCSIA
Parallel paper session 1
Plenary lecture 3
Plenary lecture 4
Individual tutorial
10.30 - 11.00 am UTC+2
Biographical encounter
Getting acquainted
Coffee break
Coffee break
Coffee break
Coffee break
11.00 - 12.30 am UTC+2
Interdisciplinary encounter
Discuss your research trajectory and disciplinary background with your peers
Parallel paper session 2
Parallel paper session 4
Parallel Paper Session 5
Discussion Forum: Scholarship & Public Engagement
Discuss contemporary challenges of conducting research on religion and public outreach with your peers
12.30 - 2.00 pm UTC+2
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
Farewell lunch
2.00 - 3.30 pm UTC+2
Plenary lecture 1
Parallel paper session 3
Guided tour of the historic city center of Antwerp
Plenary lecture 5
3.30 - 4.00 pm UTC+2
Coffee break
Coffee break
Coffee break
4.00 - 5.30 pm UTC+2
Plenary lecture 2
Individual tutorial
Leisure time
Individual tutorial
6.00 - 7.00 pm UTC+2
Dinner
7.00 - 8.30 pm UTC+2
Dinner
Network Dinner
Meet the UCSIA Summer School's alumni's, steering committee and its larger network
Public lecture
Preliminary schedule 2026
Monday
9.00 – 10.30 am UTC+2
Welcome breakfast
Welcome & introduction by UCSIA
10.30 – 11.00 am UTC+2
Biographical encounter
Getting acquainted
11.00 – 12.30 am UTC+2
Interdisciplinary encounter
Discuss your research trajectory and disciplinary background with your peers
12.30 – 2.00 pm UTC+2
Lunch
2.00 – 3.30 pm UTC+2
Plenary lecture 1
3.30 – 4.00 pm UTC+2
Coffee break
4.00 – 5.30 pm UTC+2
Plenary lecture 2
5.30 – 7.00 pm UTC+2
Free time
7.00 – 8.30 pm UTC+2
Dinner
Tuesday
9.00 – 10.00 am UTC+2
Parallel paper session 1
10.30 – 11.00 am UTC+2
Coffee break
11.00 – 12.30 am UTC+2
Parallel paper session 2
12.30 – 2.00 pm UTC+2
Lunch
2.00 – 3.30 pm UTC+2
Parallel paper session 3
3.30 – 4.00 pm UTC+2
Coffee break
4.00 – 5.30 pm UTC+2
Individual tutorial
5.30 – 7.00 pm UTC+2
Free time
7.00 – 8.30 pm UTC+2
Network Dinner
Meet the UCSIA Summer School’s alumni’s, steering committee and its larger network
Wednesday
9.00 – 10.00 am UTC+2
Plenary lecture 3
10.30 am – 11.00 UTC+2
Coffee break
11.00 – 12.30 am UTC+2
Parallel paper session 4
12.30 – 2.00 pm UTC+2
Lunch
2.00 – 4.00 pm UTC+2
Guided tour of the historic city center of Antwerp
4.00 – 7.00 pm UTC+2
Free time
7.00 – 8.30 pm UTC+2
Dinner
Thursday
9.00 – 10.00 am UTC+2
Plenary lecture 4
10.30 – 11.00 am UTC+2
Coffee break
11.00 – 12.30 am UTC+2
Parallel paper session 5
12.30 – 2.00 pm UTC+2
Lunch
2.00 – 3.30 pm UTC+2
Parallel paper session 6
3.30 – 4.00 pm UTC+2
Coffee break
4.00 – 5.00 pm UTC+2
Individual tutorial
6.00 – 7.00 pm UTC+2
Dinner
7.00 – 8.30 pm UTC+2
Public lecture
Friday
9.00 – 10.00 am UTC+2
Individual tutorial
10.30 – 11.00 am UTC+2
Coffee break
11.00 – 12.30 am UTC+2
Discussion Forum: Scholarship & Public Engagement
Discuss contemporary challenges of conducting research on religion and public outreach with your peers
12.30 – 2.00 pm UTC+2
Farewell lunch