StEPPFoS Summer School, 2026
2026-05-25 - 2026-05-29
Overview: The StEPPFoS Summer School is a five-day intensive programme held in Entebbe, Uganda, from the 25 to 29 of May 2026. The school aims to equip participants with advanced economic modelling skills to describe, investigate and interpret the future challenges for Africa’s agricultural sector and food security, with particular focus on climate change.
The curriculum balances theoretical lectures on economic shocks within the FNSSA sector with hands-on practical sessions using a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model and a farm-level microeconomic model. The programme includes parallel sessions for each model type, tailored to participants’ backgrounds and preferred modelling approaches.
The StEPPFoS Summer School is organised in the frame of the Pan-African Network for Economic Analysis of Policies (PANAP), co-hosted by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission and the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), combining academic expertise and policy-oriented research to deliver a rigorous, applied training experience.
Who can Apply
The summer school is targeted for PhD students and early-career researchers from Africa.
Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria. These are preferential, not exclusive — candidates who do not fully meet all criteria are still encouraged to apply, as motivation and research interests will be considered.

Background knowledge of Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) modelling
Knowledge of quantitative methods and/or basic programming languages for modelling (GAMS/GEMPACK)
Strength of motivation letter and relevance of research profileIf you are applying for the CGE track, please consider enrolling in the freely available DEMETRA course in advance and include the course certificate in your application. To access the course, users first need to create an EU Login account at: https://trusted-digital-identity.europa.eu/index_en

How to Apply
To apply, please submit the following documents:

Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)
Motivation letter (max. 1 page) — including your research background, reason for interest in the Summer School, and any preference for parallel session track
Copies of any CGE course certificates and/or JRC online course certificates (if available)
Indication of whether you are applying for financial support (yes/no)

Please send your complete application to: JRC-PANAP@ec.europa.eu
Application deadline: 12 April 2026, 11:59 pm
Successful applicants will be notified by: 30 April 2026
