As uncertainty and disruption settle in as central features of contemporary democracies, the media are faced with rewriting the rules by which they are allowed to operate. New limitations are constraining how the media portray a wide range of topics, from wars and international alliances to human rights and knowledge formation, from immigration and social marginalization to the economic and cultural policies implemented by those in power. While in the past, dire threats to the media were mostly associated with authoritarian regimes, the autocratic turn taking place in liberal democracies has forced those involved with media environments to deal with intimidation and punishments once considered taboo in democracies. With the distinction between liberal and illiberal media systems rendered more or less irrelevant by today’s realities, engaging with the media everywhere now requires a kind of strength not typically seen in democratic settings: courage.

Date: 6 - 9 January 2026

Location: Catholic University of Portugal, Lisbon

Participants Background: Master’s and Doctoral researchers

Application Deadline: 28 September 2025

Costs: Accommodation and board, as well as reasonable travel expenses to Lisbon will be covered for those selected to attend the event.

For more information about the event, visit the website HERE.

Università di Trento is organising two BIP Winter Schools for international students, taking place from 12 to 23 January 2026. The programmes focus on Migration and Social Change and on Physics of the Cell.

There are no tuition fees for students of Charles University.

Migration and Social Change

Contents: 2-week interdisciplinary Winter school for understanding, in a comparative view, the evolution of international migration. The driving force of the of the winter school will be a challenge-based activity in which the participants will be called to reflect on how can cities foster meaningful inclusion for migrant youth. Participants will have a chance to use creative tools, such as digital/visual storytelling, video-making, photo-voicing, soundscapes, walk-along-interviews and many others.

Participating students will:

• Develop practical skills in locating, verifying, and analyzing information on internal migration policies
• Strengthen collaborative abilities through interdisciplinary group work and task-sharing
• Enhance public speaking and academic presentation skills, with support for those presenting research projects
• Gain hands-on research experience in real-world policy contexts
• Deepen their understanding of internal migration dynamics and innovative research approaches

Participants Background:

• Admission reserved only to students coming from UniTrento partner universities. 
• Admission will be open to a maximum of 22 international senior Bachelor’s degree students (who have finished the 2nd year)
• all Master’s degree students preferably with (but not limited to) the following backgrounds: sociology, geography, anthropology, political science, social science, demography, international relations, or similar, with an interest on human mobility. 
• Participants should be confident in English-language use (B2).

Date: 12 - 23 January, 2026

• with students present in Trento,
• PLUS a compulsory 2-hour follow-up online workshop in February 2026 (date to be confirmed), in two time slots: either 9:00 AM or 3:00 PM (both CEST).

Application Deadline: 15 October 2025, 12:00 pm

Information Session: you can watch an information session held on 12 September 2025 HERE (Passcode: hSs?K%7K)

For more information about the programme, visit the website HERE.

Physics of the Cell

Contents: Understanding the complex behavior of living cells — from molecular assemblies to whole-cell dynamics — increasingly relies on a fruitful interplay between experimental observations, theoretical insight, and computational modeling. In silico approaches allow researchers to simulate and visualize biological structures and processes at resolutions and levels of control that are often inaccessible to direct experimental probing. However, the broad range of spatial and temporal scales involved in cellular phenomena, from angstroms and picoseconds to microns and hours, demands an equally broad set of tools, encompassing diverse experimental techniques, conceptual frameworks, and modeling strategies.

CELL Winter School is an intensive training initiative designed to expose participants to the challenges and opportunities of applying physical methods to living systems. It offers a deeply interdisciplinary environment where early-career scientists can explore how physics — in its experimental, theoretical, and computational forms — contributes to our understanding of biological processes with implications in medicine, biotechnology, and basic science.

Participants Background:

• Admission will be open to a maximum of 22 international senior Bachelor’s degree students (who have finished the 2nd year)
• all Master’s degree students preferably with (but not limited to) the following backgrounds: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, or interdisciplinary courses including at least one of the former among the primary disciplines.
• Participants should be confident in English-language use (B2).

Date: 12 January - Friday 23 January 2026

• with students present in Trento,
• PLUS a compulsory 2-hour follow-up online workshop on 23 February 2026, in two time slots: either 9:00 AM or 3:00 PM (both CEST).

Information Session: you can watch an information session held on 10 September 2025 HERE (Passcode: 9VSMr7W$)

Application Deadline: 15 October 2025, 12:00 pm

For more information about the programme, visit the website HERE.

Would you like to study at the Paris-Panthéon-Assas University?

Within the 4EU+ Alliance, you have a unique chance to participate in virtual mobility and enrol in courses from the comfort of your home. And the mobility is entirely free!

Click on the link, choose your course and send an application!

Would you like to expand your knowledge abroad while staying in the Czech Republic?

Apply for our online courses at the University of Warsaw within the 4EU+ Alliance and study abroad. On top of that, the courses are entirely free!

Click on the link, choose your course and send an application!

Students (with the exception of the Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy) are invited to apply for scholarships offered by partner universities in Germany and Switzerland for the academic year 2025/2026. Opportunities are available for bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral students, ranging from one-month research stays to semester or year-long scholarships.

Required documents include:

• CV (in German or English)
• Motivation letter (in German or English)
• Study plan or research plan (form provided)
• Transcript of records and GPA
• Proof of language proficiency (German or English, minimum level B2)
• Recommendation letter(s) from a CU faculty member
• Additional documents may be required depending on the host university (see attachments).

Application deadline:

• Upload all documents to the online application system by 1 October 2025
• Submit the application to the CU Rectorate by 8 October 2025

Further details, including full conditions and evaluation criteria, are available in the attachments bellow.

Would you like to study at Heidelberg University?

Within the 4EU+ Alliance, you have a unique chance to participate in virtual mobility and enrol in courses from the comfort of your home. And the mobility is entirely free!

Click on the link, choose your course and send an application!