Are you in the early stages of your PhD and looking to sharpen your research design, publish with confidence, and build an international peer network?
Join fellow doctoral researchers across Europe for the First-Time Researchers Academy, an intensive Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) dedicated to mastering scientific research methodology. Hosted at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) in Kaunas, this week-long academy blends rigorous methodological training, interdisciplinary collaboration, and hands-on publication workshops tailored directly to your dissertation needs.

TRANSFORM4EUROPE ALLIANCE | ERASMUS+ BIP

DOCTORAL WEEK IN SOCIAL SCIENCES

Scientific Research Methodology — First-Time Researchers Academy

• Dates: 16–20 November 2026
• Location: Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania
• Host Institution: VMU Doctoral School & Educational Research Institute
• Target Audience: PhD Students in Social Sciences

ACADEMY OVERVIEW

The First-Time Researchers Academy is an intensive Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) organized by the Doctoral School of VMU in cooperation with leading experts in social research methodology.

Rooted in VMU’s Artes Liberales tradition, this week provides doctoral researchers from across the Transform4Europe alliance with structured tools to tackle complex dissertation challenges, refine philosophical paradigms, master academic publishing, and build lasting European research networks.

5-DAY INTENSIVE CURRICULUM

• Monday: The Research Problem & Questions
  • Forming and analyzing the research problem context.
  • Connecting academic topics with research questions through structured group work.
• Tuesday: Philosophical Paradigms & Methodology
  • Exploring ontology, epistemology, and axiology in social research.
  • Designing methodology parameters, research instruments, ethics, and sampling strategies.
• Wednesday: Multidisciplinary Project Hackathon
  • Collaborative project development across social science fields (Sociology, Law, Economics, Education).
  • Group project frameworks, slide presentations, and peer feedback sessions.
• Thursday: Academic Publishing & Article Structure
  • Structural requirements for theoretical and empirical articles.
  • Practical workshops on content cohesion, publishing strategies, and peer review.
• Friday: The Creative Scientist
  • Social research through a creative lens: integrating arts and literature with scientific inquiry.
  • Creative workshops on mapping research directions, concluding reflections, and alliance certification.

KEY PARTICIPANT BENEFITS

• Interdisciplinary Networking: Connect and collaborate with over 30 doctoral peers from across Europe.
• Practical Outputs: Refine your dissertation methodology, research design, and publication plan.
• Erasmus+ Certification: Earn official alliance certification and ECTS credit support.

ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP

Prof. habil. Dr. Vilma Žydžiūnaitė

Director of the Educational Research Institute, Vytautas Magnus University
A leading authority in social research methodology, specializing in qualitative, mixed-methods, and phenomenological frameworks. Author of over 245 scientific works and 12 monographs, and supervisor of 20 completed PhD dissertations. Member of the Lithuanian Science Prizes Commission.

Dr. Viktorija Kavaliauskaitė-Vilkinienė
Head of the Doctoral School, Vytautas Magnus University
Spearheads strategic doctoral education initiatives, international research support networks, and cross-border knowledge exchange across the Transform4Europe alliance. Specialist in pragmatics and sociolinguistics.

APPLICATION & PRACTICAL INFORMATION

• Target Fields: Sociology, Law, Economics, Education, Management, and related Social Sciences.
• Eligibility: Enrolled PhD students at Transform4Europe member universities.
• Funding: Erasmus+ BIP mobility grants are available through your home institution’s international office.

Ready to advance your research? Contact your home university’s Transform4Europe office.