June 15-18, 2026

5th edition of the Summer School series on The Age Criterion

Call for applications: December 2, 2025 - February 28, 2026

VIU Scientific Coordinator: Fabrizio Turoldo, Ca' Foscari University of Venice

The program offers professionals, students and early career researchers the opportunity to critically reflect, with the help of highly qualified experts, on topical issues that raise ethical and deontological dilemmas, relating to health care ethics.
A fundamental feature of the School concerns its method, which is characterized by a continuous and intense interdisciplinary exchange.

The questions that will be at the center of this fifth edition of the Summer School will be the following: 1) How do different cultures, traditions, and societies understand end of life? 2) What ethical, medical, and spiritual frameworks shape the way we care for people in their final stages?
This Summer School offers a unique opportunity to explore end-of-life issues through a global and multicultural lens. Participants will engage with leading scholars, clinicians, and ethicists to examine diverse approaches to dying, death, and bereavement, across continents and traditions.

Contributing member universities:
- Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
- Tor Vergata University of Rome
- University of Lausanne

Faculty:
Stefano Beggiora, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, IT
Carlo Casalone, Pontifical Gregorian University, IT
Luca Mastrantonio, IULM University, Milan, IT
Jürgen Maurer, University of Lausanne, CH
Massimo Raveri, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, IT
Antonio Rigopoulos, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, IT
Francesca Romana Romani, Roma Tre University, IT
Roberta Sala, San Raffaele University, Milan, IT
Luca Scarantino, University of Bari, IT
Stefano Semplici, Tor Vergata University of Rome, IT
Fabrizio Turoldo, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, IT

Which are the main activities?
- Presentations in the fields of moral philosophy, political philosophy, ethics, bioethics, history of religions, sociology, philosophy of science, epidemiology, patient care, health economics, public health and demography;
- Interactive sessions, such as “tutoring sessions”, aimed at giving participants the opportunity to discuss their own research ideas with senior speakers in individual or small group meetings.

What’s special about the Summer School?
Attending the school means developing transversal competences since the approach is multidisciplinary, and those who have a specific philosophical, economic or sociological background will learn more about medical advances in medical research and ethical issues related to healthcare, becoming familiar with the specific language in which MDs deal with these issues as well.
Physicians, high-level policy makers or officials who may take part in this program will be able to learn how to connect issues between the health dimension of ageing and the ethic, legal and economic ones. 

Learning Outcomes
The course allows students, researchers and professionals from various fields to hone important skills that are located in an interdisciplinary terrain. Professional ethics and deontology are in fact transversal sectors, useful and necessary in the most diverse professional contexts.

Philosophers, physicians, nurses, anthropologists, theologians, experts of religious thought, economists, sociologists and political scientists will have the opportunity to test different perspectives of thought and different theoretical systems in the light of extremely important and current case studies. Healthcare professionals will be able to reflect on the various implications that their decisions entail and which often go beyond the strictly sanitary sphere.

Who can apply?
Professionals in the health care sector, PhD students, post-doc scholars, graduates and undergraduates in medicine, philosophy, political sciences, sociology, social work, economics, statistics. PhD students and researchers will have the opportunity to present their own research in a presentation or a poster session; candidates who wish to present their research can include the request either on the application form or submit it following selection.

Credits
A Certificate of attendance will be issued at the end of the course.
Number of ECTS equivalence: 2

The Program will admit 25 participants.

Applicants must submit the application form, a brief motivation letter including candidate’s interests and research, and a curriculum vitae with photo.

Fees
Applicants from VIU member universities: € 300 incl. VAT
Other applicants: € 600 incl. VAT

The fee will cover tuition, teaching materials, lunches in the San Servolo cafeteria and social events.

Student participants will be responsible for covering their own travel expenses to and from Venice, local transportation, and evening meals. 

Accommodation costs on campus
Applicants can ask for VIU assistance in booking accommodation on San Servolo Campus, in multiple rooms with other participants for the duration of the Summer School: further information about the costs is available in the Brochure and Application form.

For further information:
ageing@univiu.org