Highland Institute Summer School

The Highland Institute Summer School is the flagship training programme of the Highland Institute School of Advanced Studies, designed to provide intensive interdisciplinary research training for students, graduates, and early-career researchers. Based at The Highland Institute in Kohima, Nagaland, the programme combines academic instruction, research training, mentorship, and field-based learning within a multidisciplinary research environment.

Conducted annually over a thirteen-week period, the Summer School introduces participants to a broad range of disciplines including anthropology, social sciences, health sciences, linguistics, philosophy, archaeology, environmental studies, and related fields. Through seminars, workshops, reading groups, fieldwork opportunities, and collaborative research activities, participants develop practical research skills while engaging with contemporary academic debates and regional issues.

Objectives

The Summer School seeks to:

• Provide foundational and advanced research training across multiple disciplines.
• Develop critical thinking, analytical writing, and methodological skills.
• Introduce participants to interdisciplinary approaches to research.
• Support participants in designing and conducting independent research.
• Create opportunities for mentorship and scholarly exchange.
• Build research capacity among students and early-career researchers in Northeast India and beyond.

Areas of Expertise

The Summer School draws upon the Institute's expertise across a range of disciplines:

Anthropology

Anthropology forms the methodological foundation of much of the Institute's work. Training covers ethnographic methods, medical anthropology, political anthropology, material culture, visual anthropology, and museum anthropology.

Philosophy

The programme introduces participants to contemporary philosophical debates, particularly in social ontology and epistemology, while developing skills in argumentation, conceptual analysis, and critical reasoning.

Health Sciences

Participants engage with topics related to public health, health policy, community health systems, and the social determinants of health through case studies and research-based learning.

Ethnomusicology

The study of music and sound within cultural contexts provides opportunities to explore oral traditions, performance, documentation methods, and multimedia ethnography.

Archaeology

Training introduces participants to archaeological approaches and includes perspectives from ethnoarchaeology, community archaeology, zooarchaeology, archaeobotany, and bioarchaeology.

Environmental Studies

Environmental research at the Institute focuses on climate change, adaptation, biodiversity, sustainability, and community responses to environmental challenges.

Programme Structure

The Summer School runs for approximately thirteen weeks and is primarily conducted on-site at The Highland Institute in Kohima. The programme combines:

• Lectures and seminars
• Reading groups
• Research workshops
• Academic writing sessions
• Fieldwork training
• Mentorship and supervision
• Collaborative research activities

Participants are encouraged to engage directly with ongoing research projects and may have opportunities to contribute to fieldwork and primary data collection.

Facilities and Resources

Library

Participants have access to the Institute's specialist library, with extensive collections in anthropology, sociology, environmental studies, literature, philosophy, religion, and related disciplines.

Internet and Workspace

Wireless internet access and dedicated workspaces are available throughout the programme.

Mentorship

Students are able to engage with Institute fellows, visiting scholars, researchers, and project partners through both in-person and online interactions.

Fieldwork Opportunities

The programme offers opportunities to participate in ongoing research projects involving field-based data collection and community engagement.

Fees and Funding

The Summer School is supported through the Highland Fellowship and private donors. Tuition fees and programme materials, including core reading resources, are provided free of charge to selected participants. Admission is competitive and based on a selective application process.

Location

The Highland Institute

Meluri Road, Melody Hill

Kohima Village

Kohima, Nagaland 797003

India

Related Programmes

Postgraduate Certificate in Research

Winter School

The Highland Institute

Ekologos