The first three Summer Schools (Geneva 1997, Lugano 1998 and Neuchâtel 1999) were experimental; i.e. they were planned and financed as a National Science Foundation research project within the framework of the Switzerland towards the Future (Demain la Suisse) programme, as a key component of their post-graduate training programme scheme ("doctoral schools") for Switzerland. From the start it was clear that - after the three-year trial period and after careful evaluation - the Summer School needed a more permanent basis, both financial and organizational. (Demain la Suisse, until the end of the programme (December 2003), guaranteed the deficit of the Summer School. Since then the Summer School is financially on its own and financed exclusively
Since 2008, the Summer School is institutionally hosted at FORS, the Swiss Foundation for social science research. (between 2000-2007 it was administered by SIDOS, the Swiss Data Archive, Neuchâtel) and established in Lugano at USI (Università della Svizzera Italiana); Both institutions offer generous support to the Summer School; FORS administers the Summer School and USI offers the teaching and computing facilities, takes care of the local administration (administrative support during the Summer School) at no cost. The Summer School is now funded by participants' fees only; these fees cover expenses for instructors (honorarium, accommodation and travel expenses); material distributed to the students and social events for participants.
Since the 2015 we started a closer collaboration with USI with respect to the Summer School course offerings. Initially there were six workshops (3 per week), later the workshop offer was somewhat increased.