ITCILO launches summer school on social dialogue and living wages

Applications now open for the second edition of the Summer School on Social Dialogue, dedicated this year to living wages. The course will take place from 22 to 24 September 2026 at the International Training Centre of the ILO (ITCILO) in Turin.

More than half of the world's workers are wage earners, yet many do not earn enough to live decently, particularly in low-income countries. In response to persistent low pay and in-work poverty, initiatives promoting living wages are increasing, including within multinational enterprises.

The Summer School will examine how social dialogue can help operationalise living wages and strengthen wage-setting systems. Particular attention will be given to the role of tripartite social dialogue and collective bargaining in reconciling workers' needs with economic realities.

The course is open to a broad range of participants, including representatives of employers' and workers' organizations, practitioners involved in social dialogue processes, human resources and sustainability officials within enterprises, civil servants responsible for labour policies, members of wage-setting institutions, and researchers specializing in corporate governance, industrial relations and human rights.

The course will combine theoretical presentations, comparative analysis, participatory workshops and expert testimonies. It will also include a dedicated research section where contributors selected through a competitive process will present innovative work on social dialogue, wage setting and living wages.

Interested participants can apply through the course webpage by 7 September 2026.