In March 2009, twenty-four PhD students and fresh doctors who were up to 4 years after completing their PhD, from Poland, Macedonia, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Turkey, Romania, and Iran, attended a 6-day methodology workshop in Side/Antalya, Turkey. They had the opportunity to enjoy very interesting and inspiring presentations and discussions with senior scholars, including Marcel van Aken, Müge Artar, Wim Beyers, Alexander von Eye, Burkhard Gniewosz, Alexander Grob, Leo Hendry, Marion Kloep, Inge Seiffge-Krenke, Selçuk Şirin, and Nebi Sümer. The workshop was organized by Figen Çok and Peter Noack. The topic of the workshop was different methodologies used in adolescent research and the workshop also featured a session on writing a scientific publication.





by Marina Merkaš (Croatia) & Neslihan Güney Karaman (Turkey)

Although it is quite difficult to put in words the unique and valuable experience we had at the workshop, we will try to do so in order to reveal to you the worthiness and value of this workshop. First, allow us to say that we feel grateful because we had the opportunity to spend an unforgettable week with great seniors and very interesting students who shared the common aim of attaining methodological knowledge.

In the workshop, program was to provide professional methodological training and discussion opportunity for the students. Each student and also teacher agreed that this workshop was great meeting and a unique activity as a methodology workshop. Olga, Fatih, Ana, Eylem, Magdalena, Alina, Gökhan, Zornitza, Ümit, Burak, Oana Alexandra, Mehmet, Katarzyna, Orhideja, Tijana, Yeliz, Boris, Sofija, Yalçın, Romeo, Mohammed, Alina, Carmen had similar impressions with us and welcomed this workshop. Students’ relationships and cooperations were amazing and they became good friends. We enjoyed spending time with each of us and also senior not only during sessions but also leisure time, breakfast and evening. Informal working and socialization opportunities were built into the intense and tight schedule. schedule.

Arrival…On our way from the airport to the hotel, in the bus, we already had the chance to meet other students and seniors and exchange our ideas and expectations about the workshop. When we arrived at the Silence Beach Resort, located on the beautiful Turkish coast, we had a welcoming reception and thereupon, due to a long day of travelling, went to our rooms.

Starting… At 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning we were welcomed by Figen Çok and Peter Noack and they introduced us to the seniors. The president of the EARA, Inge Seiffge- Krenke, gave a short review presentation on adolescent research methodology.

Working… The program of the workshop was a combination of seniors’ presentations, practices, work in small groups, students’ presentations at the scientific writing clinic, and a consultation hour. The workshop started every day at 8 a.m. and finished at 6 p.m., with two coffee breaks and the lunch break. Seniors gave their presentations on methodology in a very professional manner, while also encouraging active involvement from students. Students presented their own work at the scientific writing clinic, and they were rewarded with very useful feedback and suggestions from other students and seniors. Beside that, a valuable part of the workshop were consultation hours, during which students met the seniors face to face bases and received useful advice about their studies and PhD projects. Overall, a very well organised workshop gave us an overview of the recent state of methods in the field of adolescence.

Social time… During informal discussions at evenings or during the lunch time we had the opportunity to exchange information and opinions about our countries, habits, cultures, PhD programs and other issues/content with people from different countries. Friendly and nice atmosphere between the participants of the workshop made it easier to engage in conversations about our similarities and differences. Meeting other students and seniors from different countries broadened our perspectives, not only academically but personally as well, and new social networks were established. During the evenings we had some good conversations in the dinner and bar. Although the schedule of the workshop was rather tight, we found to go on a short trip to Side, an ancient city of Pamphylia, and saw Manavgat Waterfalls.

Ending… The last day of the workshop ended with giving certificates to the students and on the last evening we had a farewell dinner full of surprises. There was a party organized for us and we had a chance to see a belly dancer, go to a disco and dance on Turkish music.

We are incredibly grateful to the Jacobs Foundation for funding this workshop and providing us with the opportunity to learn and broader our perspectives, and also to our Turkish hosts for warmly welcoming us. In the end, one of the most precious experiences from the workshop is that we met colleges and friends with whom we can collaborate and work. Seniors, thank you for keeping the doors open for us students…

"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do." Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

After the EARA Methodology Workshop 2009 - Students’ impressions

Sofija Arnaudova (Macedonia): „ …I thought it was a fantastic event! Mind boggling, in fact, to have the opportunity to hear such a wide range of speakers- the best professors from Europe and USA, and of course the best students ever….. Every speaker says something different and you come away with a sense of what's working in methodology today and what's not…. As far as I'm concerned, however, the best thing about them, are the lectures, perfect organization, jokes of the professors that knew how to do that in a very likable way. The talk is committed, passionate, funny, nonsensical, and a whole variety of other good things. I seem to be waxing sentimental here - if so, it's because I have so much to thank EARA for the new friends, for ideas and most important for intellectual development.”

Mehmet Harma (Turkey): “It was very fruitful organization in terms of my academic development and establishing social interactions with my colleagues. Dense workshop session encouraged me work on more complex psychological processes in detail and conduct new studies. Besides, helpful and experienced teachers provided us re-review our studies in consultant hours. Meeting people from different cultures and countries was also pleasure for me. They were all welcomed and shared their individual experiences. In short, all aspects and moments of the workshop were unforgettable for me. Thanks for everybody who created this warmest climate”.

Burak Doğruyol (Turkey): “In general workshop was great, for instance participants, organization, restricted workshop place (in order to focus attention) etc…”

Magda Budziszewska (Poland): “The best about workshop: Opportunity to meet fellow researchers from not so much represented parts of the words; People - there were very selected and interesting students; Absolutely friendly and helping teachers - opportunity for consultation, top SEM team; Humor - both teachers and students proved to have”.

Olga Solomontos-Kountouri (Greek Cyprus): ”I feel very rich intellectually after this great workshop. I wish you all good continuation of academic development”.

Yalcin Özdemir (Turkey): ”It was very informative workshop for me”.

Alina Decsei-Radu (Romania): “I had the opportunity to meet you all”.

Gökhan Atik (Turkey): “After exhaustive, but instructive and enjoyful workshop”.

Zornitza Ganeva (Bulgaria): ” I also had a wonderful time at the workshop and think we made a great team”.

Ümit Morsünbül (Turkey) “It was very fruitfull and amusing experience for us”.

Ana Frichand (Macedonia): “We had the best professors and organizers”.

Oana Alexandra Gavita (Romania): “Thank you for this great learning experience!”

Carmen Bora (Romania): “I thank you for the great opportunity of meeting you all and learning so many interesting things”.

Fatih Bayraktar (Northern Cyprus):” It was great to meet you all”.

Mohammed Azizi (Iran): “I warmly appreciated the hospitality of Organizers and friendly approaches of teachers”.

Alina Ramona Decsei- Radu (Romania): “I am glad I had the opportunity to meet you all”.

Altogether, it was a wonderful experience for everyone. Both students and faculty members had a great time and learned so much, on both professional and personal levels. It was an experience that nobody will easily forget.