Applications are now open for the Cognitive Science of Creativity Summer School, an advanced program designed for graduate and PhD students, post-docs, early-career researchers and designers interested in understanding and shaping creative processes. The programme brings together leading senior researchers from across Europe to foster an interdisciplinary and cross-generational exchange. Psychology, philosophy, and design will intersect to explore key questions in creative cognition, with the broader goal of initiating a European Network of Experimental Creative Cognition researchers.
Date: from July 20 to 24, 2026
Place: Villa del Grumello, Como, Italy
The Summer School consists of five days of intensive, hands-on collaboration, structured into thematic modules:
- Morning sessions feature lectures by internationally renowned experts, providing theoretical foundations and highlighting key open challenges in creative cognition.
- Afternoon sessions are dedicated to interactive and collaborative activities, where participants will co-develop ideas, research questions, and experimental approaches.
- Research questions will be generated with a high level of detail to allow scientific progress. Design researchers will facilitate the application of emerging methods and experimental ideas to real-world scenarios.
The program will focus on three interconnected themes:
- Definitional Clarity: clarifying what we mean by creativity through philosophical and psychological perspectives, building shared frameworks and language.
- Dynamic Measurement: exploring new ways to capture creativity as a process - including cognition, emotion, and metacognition over time.
- Contextual Influences: understanding how social, environmental, and technological factors shape creativity, from collaboration to interactions between human and non-human creative agents and human-AI interaction.
Speakers:
Amory Danek, Sergio Agnoli, Carmen Bruno, Carola Salvi, Claire Stevenson, Dustin Stokes, Eva Monestier, Francesco Zurlo, Izabela Lebuda, Laura Macchi, Marita Canina, Michael Ollinger, Selene Arfini, Tatiana Efremenko, Wendy Ross, Tom Ormerod.
Poster Sessions:
Junior participants are invited to present posters showcasing recent or ongoing research projects.
Deadlines and participation fees:
- Applications are open until April 17, 2026.
- Available places: 35 spots, assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Registration fee: €250 (22% VAT included).
- The fee includes a welcome kit, coffee breaks, lunches, welcome aperitif, and social dinner.
- The fee does NOT cover accommodation and travel.
More information on accommodation is available on the Summer School website.
To apply, candidates must complete the application form available on the Summer School website.
Applicants will be required to upload:
- a short CV (max. 1 page),
- a brief cover letter (max. 800 words),
- an abstract (optional, for poster submission).
Scientific and Organizing Committee:
- Sergio Agnoli (University of Trieste, Italy)
- Selene Arfini (University of Pavia, Italy)
- Marita Canina (Politecnico di Milano, Italy)
- Laura Macchi (University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy)
- Wendy Ross (London Metropolitan University, United Kingdom)
Scientific Secretariat:
Alina Panizza, Laura Caravona, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy