The summer institute on Empirical Implications of Theoretical Models (EITM) facilitates a rigorous and productive dialogue between theoretical and empirical analysis in political science. The EITM research approach is based on the premise that attention to the logical relationships between theoretical models and empirical work can produce improvements in both. The EITM summer institutes provide participants with unique opportunities to learn and pursue innovative research practices. The summer institutes will create a direct positive impact for over 125 students and 75 faculty and their current and future new research agendas, increasing the intellectual capital of the scholarly community as a whole. Other benefits include the dissemination of improved research and internet-based course materials such as EITM syllabi, lecture notes, homework exercises, replication datasets, and working papers.

Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), this program trains graduate students and early career researchers in EITM, a research strategy that integrates theoretical models and empirical research to improve and expand our understanding of politics. The institute integrates developments and findings from throughout political science, including the substantive areas of American politics, comparative politics, international relations, and political economy.

The primary benefits of EITM for student participants are: 

• Instruction by leading scholars in the discipline on cutting edge methods 
• Deeper understanding of philosophical and epistemological considerations in theory building and evaluation 
• Support and feedback on students’ own research by EITM faculty and participants 
• A network of EITM students, alumni, and faculty that will provide constructive engagement long after the institute concludes 

EITM 2025 took place from August 4 to August 15, 2025. The institute was hosted by the University of Michigan.