Registration opens for European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools 2023

The EMCDDA and the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL) are delighted to open registration today for two upcoming joint events in 2023: the European Drugs Winter School (EDWS) and the European Drugs Summer School (EDSS) (1)(2).

EDWS: 13–24 February 2023 (online): This year, the theme will be ‘Displaced populations and drug- related issues’, with one full day dedicated to this topic. The two-week course will feature live lunchtime lectures with experts and practitioners, followed by afternoon exercises. Virtual fieldwork tours will also be offered. Completion of exercises and an exam are compulsory for those wishing to obtain credits. The sessions will be recorded and available for subsequent viewing.

EDSS: 26 June to 7 July 2023 (Lisbon): In 2023, this face-to-face two-week course will focus on the issue of mental health. Sessions will include lectures on drugs and mental health, dual diagnosis and integrated interventions. Study visits will be organised to one of the Portuguese commissions for dissuasion as well as to mobile methadone units and a drug consumption room in Lisbon. During the course, students will participate in interactive workshops to discuss their own projects and views. The course will conclude with an open debate with guest speakers, followed by an exam for those wishing to obtain credits.

The target audiences for the two events are: university students, researchers, professionals and administrators interested in working on drug issues. The previous rounds of these courses brought together students from the EU Member States as well as from Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas. Profiles of former alumni and their testimonials can be found on the official summer school website and their statements viewed in a promotional video (3).

The courses prepare professionals and students to meet the complex policy challenges that face Europe in the field of drugs. Involving scientific experts from the EMCDDA, university professors and policymakers, they provide a multi-disciplinary and inclusive approach to the study of the drugs problem in Europe and beyond.

Details on scholarships in 2023 are available on the event web pages. Both events will be conducted in English.