Training school · COST Action CA24154

NetSec Training School

The Early-Career Scholars Summer School (ECS³)

NetSec's COST Training School: a residential training and mentorship programme for early-career researchers in European security, run jointly by NetSec and the European Initiative for Security Studies (EISS).

The next edition How to apply
Dates9–11 June 2026
LocationStockholm University
FormatResidential, three days
Funded places15 PhD students
Straight into ESSC 2026

The next edition

Details of the next NetSec Training School will be announced here. To hear when the call for applications opens, write to ecs.netsec@eiss-europa.com.

About the school

What it is

The NetSec Early-Career Scholars Summer School brings doctoral researchers and early post-docs working on European security together for three days of intensive training, presentation, and individualised feedback from senior scholars. It is a joint project of NetSec (COST Action CA24154) and the European Initiative for Security Studies (EISS), hosted each year by a partner university.

The school exists to support the next generation of European security scholars, giving early-career researchers the close mentoring and peer community that shape a research career.

Taking part

Who can apply

The school is open to graduate students preparing a PhD proposal, current doctoral candidates, and post-docs within one year of their defence, working in strategic studies, international security, or a related field. Alumni of SWAMOS and Euro-SWAMOS are also welcome to apply.

What participants get

Selected participants receive individualised feedback and mentorship from a faculty of senior scholars across the three days. Travel and hotel costs are reimbursed for fifteen PhD students, and every participant attends the European Security Studies Conference free of charge.

Application process

Applications for the 2026 edition have closed, the deadline having been 1 March 2026. When the next call opens, candidates apply by sending a motivation letter, a CV of at most two pages, and an abstract of at most 500 words to ecs.netsec@eiss-europa.com.

One week before the school, selected participants share a draft of the scholarly text behind their abstract, which can be a conference paper, a dissertation chapter, a memo, or work in progress.

Faculty (2026)

The senior scholars leading the 2026 edition.

  • Nicolas Blarel Leiden University
  • Julia Carver Leiden University
  • Silvia D'Amato James Madison University Scientific coordinator
  • Chiara Libiseller King's College London
  • Vanessa Newby Monash University
  • Chiara Ruffa Sciences Po Scientific coordinator

Organised by

ECS³ is run as an equal partnership between two networks.

COST Action CA24154 European Initiative for Security Studies

A continuation of Euro-SWAMOS

The school is the spiritual successor to Euro-SWAMOS, the European Summer Workshop in the Analysis of Military Operations and Strategy run by EISS, whose most recent edition was held in 2023 at the Hertie School in Berlin. Euro-SWAMOS predates NetSec. The NetSec Training School carries that tradition forward under a new partnership.

Practical information

The 2026 school takes place at Stockholm University, Frescativägen, 114 18 Stockholm. Because it sits immediately before the European Security Studies Conference, the travel and venue details are shared with the conference.

Get involved

NetSec and EISS organise the school together as equal co-organisers.

Add to calendar Visit the EISS site

Questions about the school can go to ecs.netsec@eiss-europa.com.