The summer school takes place over two weeks in early August. The programme is built around a series of guest instructors who are leading scholars of comparative legislative studies. Thus, a different instructor will lead the discussion of a different topic each day.

The daily academic program will comprise two sessions. The morning session will see the instructor providing a detailed overview and assessment of the state of research on the topic. The afternoon session focusing on the discussion of readings assigned in advance of the summer school by the instructor. Participants will come to the afternoon reading group session having read the assigned material and be ready to comment on the readings as well as seek guidance and clarification from the instructor. Students will also be expected to show how their own research relates to the topic and approach under investigation each day. The final hour of the day will be dedicated to student presentations. Each participant will have an opportunity to present her research and receive feedback from other participants and the instructor/school director.

The current plan calls for a series of ten key themes (one for each teaching day of the Summer school), each lead by a scholar writing and researching in that area. As such, the focus is rarely on one legislature but on topics that are typically core to understanding any legislature.