Summer School on Research Ethics in Music Education (21-25.09.2026)
In connection with the symposium, the mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna will host a five-day summer school for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, Monday to Friday 21–25.09.2026.
In line with the overall theme of the symposium, the topic of the summer school is research ethics in music education. The European University Association cites research ethics and integrity as their top strategic priority in doctoral studies, alongside quality of supervision, but literature on this key topic is still relatively sparse in our field. We will be joined by Prof. Dr. Heidi Partti from the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki. Heidi Partti teaches research ethics at the Uniarts and provides guidance in matters related to research integrity, with a particular interest in advancing responsible research practices within the field of music education. She is a Research Integrity and Ethics Trainer certified through the VIRT2UE programme, funded by the European Commission to promote understanding and application of the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity. She chairs the Research Ethics Committee of the University of the Arts and is also a member of the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity.
Working with Heidi Partti and a group of peers will allow you to reflect in depth on the ethical dimensions of your research and to theorise dilemmas that we all encounter, including questions about AI in research. Our programme will feature lectures, discussions, collaborative group work, and a workshop during which each participant will create a poster to be presented at the symposium. All presenters have the opportunity to submit proposals for chapters in a peer-reviewed anthology for mdwPress, so the summer school may be a first step towards an international publication.
We will work from 9:30 to 16:30 and also have time for social, cultural and culinary activities, exploring Vienna with its cafés, museums, live music, and outdoor events. On Wednesday 23 September in the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to visit one or several local music schools and to meet colleagues from Musikschulen der Stadt Wien.
The fee for participation in the summer school is 100 EUR. This includes coffee breaks and the printing of your poster, but not meals. If you are a doctoral student, you may be eligible for financial support as well as for ECTS credits through your own institution – it's worth asking your thesis advisor or administration.
The number of participants is limited to twelve. Applications can be submitted until 28 February 2026 and will be subject to review, with notifications expected by mid-March.
If you are interested in participating, please send a brief summary of your research project including a short description of the ethical considerations involved (max 400 words) as a PDF or MS Word attachment to bjoerk@mdw.ac.at by 28 February 2026.
Please note that submissions and registrations are handled separately for the summer school and the symposium.
All fees are handled through our event platform ConfTool.