Summer School 2026: Cognitive Foundations of Decision-Making

Detailed Information:

Below you can find detailed information on the summer school and how to apply. In case of questions, please contact Ferdinand Vieider at cognitive.foundations@ugent.be or at ferdinand.vieider@ugent.be

Period:

July 6 – July 10, 2026, inclusive

Location:

Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

Organizers:

Ferdinand Vieider (Ghent University)

Ranoua Bouchouicha (Ghent University)

Speakers and Topics: 

The list below is subject to updates, as we are currently still waiting for the final confirmation of some speakers. 

• Rava Azeredo da Silveira (CNRS and University of Basel)

Neural Coding, Cognitive Representation, and Decisions

• Peter Bossaerts (University of Cambridge)

Complexity and Decisions

• Jan Engelmann (University of Amsterdam)

Attentional and Affective Drivers of Decision-Making​​

• Ian Krajbich (UCLA)

Sequential Sampling and Decision-Making

• ​Ferdinand Vieider (Ghent University)

Bayesian Inference and Noisy Cognition

Target Audience: 

Young researchers interested in the cognitive basis of decision-making as a way of furthering our knowledge and understanding of decision-making processes. The summer school is open to PhD students, postdocs, junior faculty, and advanced master students interested in these topics and regardless of formal (disciplinary) study background. However, a solid understanding of standard models of decision-making such as (subjective) expected utility theory, discounted utility theory, and of behavioural generalizations of these models is highly desirable to be able to follow the lectures.

Structure and philosophy:

Mornings and most early afternoons are dedicated to lectures on the topics described above. The rest of the afternoon is reserved for students to pitch research ideas/papers to other students and faculty, and to get feedback on models or experimental designs (on a voluntary basis). These feedback sessions will be organized in small, targeted groups, and may include other students, speakers, as well as other RISLab members. The idea is to create a format that allows for the informal exchange of ideas amongst students and faculty.

Application:

The summer school will accept a maximum of 30 applicants. Applications should include the following documents:

• A short CV
• A letter of interest detailing the candidate’s motivation (max 1 page)

In case of over-subscription, a selection will be made based on the motivation and background of the candidates.

Please submit you application by email to cognitive.foundations@ugent.be 

Amenities:

The summer school will take place at Ghent University in Ghent, Belgium. The subscription fees of €400 includes participation in the summer school, all lunches, and coffee breaks. It also includes a welcome reception on Monday evening and a dinner. The additional dinners and accommodation are not included in the fee. We will, however, reserve some hotel rooms in Ghent for the duration of the summer school that you can book. We can also coordinate stays in double rooms for students to lower costs if desired.

Fees:

Regular Fee: € 400

Deadline:

27 March, 2026

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis as they come in up to the deadline, or up until all available attendence slots are filled.

More Information