When: 6 September – 10 September 2021
Where: Hotel Alpha Soleil, Kandersteg, Switzerland
Languages: English (main), German
ECTS: 6 | Costs: 400 Swiss francs (travel and accommodation [double room] covered by organizer). Members of the GSAH and the Bernese Faculty of Humanities as well as selected members of our partner institutions and supporters (f.e. GCSC Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, FDI Université de Lausanne) are free of charge.

Format:
Each morning session begins with a lecture given by one of our three keynote speakers, followed by responses and plenary discussions. These sessions prepare the ground for the parallel workshops in the afternoon, which focus on key concepts/problems and core texts that are particularly relevant for the research projects of the participants. Posters visualize the participants’ projects and foster informal exchange throughout the week.

What do we offer?
The GSAH will cover your travel expenses as well as accommodation (double room) and meals at the Hotel Bad Muntelier. You will receive an e-reader with preparatory material and have the opportunity to present your research on the Summer School homepage and blog (http://blog.wbkolleg.unibe.ch). Most importantly, you are offered an intellectually stimulating, lively and friendly atmosphere conducive to fruitful exchange with both senior scholars and peers.

Safety concept

In order for us to be able to conduct the Summer School in accordance with the rules, the following safety concept must be implemented:

1. Before the start of the event, we insist that all participants have a valid Covid-19 certification, which shows that you are

• either fully vaccinated with a vaccine that is authorized in Switzerland or recognized by the WHO, or
• you have recovered from COVID-19 in the last 6 months, or
• you have a negative PCR test (within the last 72 hours of arrival at the airport/Station in Switzerland or Kandersteg respectively) or rapid antigen test (within the last 24 hours of arrival at the airport/Station in Switzerland or Kandersteg respectively).

For external participants:

Please note that if you are entering Switzerland by airplane, you need to complete an entry form for incoming travellers at https://swissplf.admin.ch/formular.

External participants entering the country must comply with the Federal Office of Public Health’s guidelines (https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/de/home.html) and take note of the health-related measures at the Swiss border. This interactive travel check tool shows you what measures apply to you.

Please note that if, within the last 10 days before entering Switzerland, you have been in a place with a variant of concern (currently among them the UK!) and you have not been vaccinated, or are unable to prove that you have recovered from COVID-19 in the last 6 months, you must go into quarantine after entering Switzerland.

The organizers continuously monitor the entry regulations for risk countries and contact the participants who fall into this category. Participants who must be quarantined at the time of travel due to the entry regulations of the Federal Office of Public Health are not advised to participate in the Summer School. Costs arising from quarantine will not be borne by us.

2. The protection concepts of the venue Hotel Alfa Soleil, Kandersteg (https://www.alfasoleil.ch/covid-19) and the Canton of Bern (any excursions) apply throughout the week

3. The wearing of masks is compulsory indoors (except for speakers during sessions and roommates in the rooms)

4. Food must be served in a seated position (no masks required).

If participants do not have a valid Covid-19 certification, they will not be allowed to participate in the Summer School. Vaccination or recovery certificates and negative test results must be sent to the project assistant before arriving at the venue, who will keep a corresponding list. For participants joining from outside of Switzerland the certification may of course be the one shown at the airport etc.

In case of a positive test result or if participants show symptoms during the week, the medical facility in Kandersteg will be contacted immediately and the corresponding instructions will be followed. The municipality of Kandersteg has drawn up a careful protection concept and, after consultation with the hotel, is prepared for eventualities (https://meine-berge.ch/de/aktuelle-lage/). Participants who test positive for the coronavirus when leaving Switzerland are not the responsibility of the GSAH/Summer School.