Empirical Bioethics Summer School, Ghent University

We invite applications to attend the Empirical Bioethics Summer School, in Ghent 18th -21st May 2026

Following the success of our Empirical Bioethics Summer and Winter Schools in 2022, 2023 and 2025, the team are organising another Summer School in Empirical Bioethics research in May 2026. The programme will run over four days.

It is organised by Prof. Jon Ives (University of Bristol), Prof. Michael Dunn (National University of Singapore),  Prof. Jan Schildmann (Martin Luther University, Halle-Wittenberg), Prof, Bert Molewijk (Amsterdam UMC & VU university and Oslo University) and Prof. Veerle Provoost (Ghent University))

Who is the Summer School for?

The Summer School is designed to be a beginner/intermediate level course, aimed at researchers (from PhD student to postdocs) who have some familiarity with empirical bioethics already. This might be through previous introductory training, engagement with the literature, or because you are currently (or soon) working on a research project in which empirical data, moral theory and moral reasoning is included. Whilst it is open to all, in the event that we are oversubscribed, priority will be given to applicants at this level and who are engaging in empirical bioethics research activities. Furthermore, we will take care to ensure diversity when it comes to scientific disciplines, level of research experience and international representation.

Abstract

The Empirical Bioethics Summer School will take place at the University of Ghent (Department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences, Bioethics Institute Ghent)

The Empirical Bioethics Summer and Winter schools have been developed by Jonathan Ives (University of Bristol), Michael Dunn (National University of Singapore), Jan Schildmann (MLU Halle-Wittenberg) and Bert Molewijk (Amsterdam UMC & VU university) since 2020. In 2026 we are pleased to announce that our colleague Veerle Provoost, has joined the organizing team and will be hosting the event in the beautiful city of Ghent. As usual, several other international experts will contribute as guest lecturers. Building on the work of Jaap Kruithof and Leo Apostel, who founded the Moral Sciences program at Ghent University in the early 1960’s, Ghent University’s Bioethics Institute Ghent and its department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences have a long tradition of applying and teaching empirical research methods to enrich ethical analysis and gain insight into decision-making revolving bioethical issues.

Objectives

By bringing together key experts who have made leading methodological contributions to the empirical bioethics literature, the 2026 Summer School aims to pass on practical academic insights and provide specific guidance and training to researchers from various academic backgrounds working in bioethics. In so doing, we aim to enable those attending to

i) gain an understanding of how empirical methods can inform normative ethical analysis and vice versa, and

ii)  acquire the skills needed to realise the potential of using empirical methods, ethical theory and moral reasoning, in an integrated way, in their own research projects.

Core Content

• an introduction to empirical bioethics
• an exploration of key typologies of empirical bioethics
• design of empirical bioethics research projects & empirical research methods
• the theoretical foundations and methodological approaches for integrating empirical methods with ethical analysis
• opportunities for attendees to present their own research work and projects to receive tailored support and feed-back from both teachers and peers