Trinity College Dublin, Ireland 17th to 21st August 2026
Critical Perspectives within Lifelong Guidance

N.B. Please note the updated application form and clarification of funding in the last paragraph.

We welcome applications for the COCAG COST Training event – ECADOC Summer School for doctoral students in career guidance and counselling. The 13th ECADOC Summer School for doctoral students in career guidance and counselling will be held in Dublin, Ireland on 17th to 21st August 2026 inclusive.

The COCAG (Critical perspectives on career and career guidance) project is a COST Action, which aims at gathering scholars across Europe and beyond to explore how careers are changing in the contemporary world and consider what response is required from public policy and practice. This training school will foster debate around individuals’ careers and transition within the Lifelong Guidance spectrum. It will enhance deeper understanding of policy makers and career guidance and counselling practices including the needs of young, middle aged and older adults and guidance in a social inclusion context.

The Summer School will be hosted by Associate Professor Conor McGuckin, Director of the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities, School of Education, Trinity College Dublin. The programme consists of readings, keynote presentations, collective academic supervision, reflections on a research career, and international collaboration.

We will welcome current doctoral students in Career Guidance and Counselling or in a closely related area to the Summer School. Participants will be selected based on the relevance of their research, quality of their proposal and motivation to take part. The Summer School will be conducted in English and take place over five days. Participants will be expected to actively participate across the five-day programme.

Important dates:
Deadline for application: 30th January 2026. Please submit as one file PDF to ecadoc@etbi.ie.
Notification of acceptance: 10th February 2026

Documents for application (to be attached to the PDF application form below and submitted as one file):

1. A completed application form
2. A CV in English
3. A description of your doctoral research project, illustrating its relevance to the field of career guidance and counselling and to the topic of this COCAG training event/ECADOC Summer School. (max 1 page)
4. A certificate of enrolment as a PhD student (scanned copy) or other verification of enrolment in a PhD programme.

There is no participation fee for the summer school; applicants cover their own accommodation and travel, but once accepted may explore funding options, such as their own institution’s funds or Erasmus+. We also expect that the COCAG COST Action will be able to fund several students to participate who are unable to find funding elsewhere. Please note that the COST Short Term Scientific Mission (STSM) Grants cannot be applied for this purpose.