Sustainability Summer Schools 2025

Summer School 'Thinking beyond today. Shaping an environmentally just future'.

What?Summerschool Klimaat groepsfoto.

Summer Schools organised for and by students. The aim is: to offer interdisciplinary, student-led, critical and engaged education on social-ecological issues.

Through parallel sessions, lectures, field trips, student-led discussions, and close contact with experts, you will spend five days learning about different perspectives around the themes of the equity component of sustainability issues. This year, we want to focus more on interactivity, self-organisation, and imaginative learning in developing alternative futures.

For whom?

Motivated students from all fields of study from the Association Universiteit Gent (AUGent).

Students will be selected based on a motivation letter. Are you not a student but still interested? Feel free to submit your motivation letter, exceptions are possible. For this summer school it is a requirement to know basic English since all lectures, workshops, etc. will take place in that language.

Why would you sign up?

The summer school offers an excellent opportunity to improve your knowledge of today's challenges and broaden your view.

By actively working on problems with fellow students with diverse disciplinary backgrounds during the workshops, you experience the challenge of uniting different visions in the search for solutions for an equitable society within planetary boundaries.

In addition, you will build a network of contacts with committed fellow students with diverse backgrounds, and get the chance to network with experts in the fields.

Week schedule

On Monday we start at 9:00, the other days at 10:00. We finish around 17:00 with an optional evening program. On Tuesday there is a public keynote activity with a keynote speaker planned at 19:30. 

Students and staff are welcome to follow the lectures during the day and the keynote.

MONDAY 15/09

TUESDAY 16/09

WEDNESDAY 17/09

THURSDAY 18/09

FRIDAY 19/09

9u: agreements & get to know 




BREAK


11u15: Planetary Boundaries & Political Ecologies 

[Julia Steinberger]

10u: collective info / shared moment 


10u30: intro working groups + brainstorm 

  • Art & zines
  • Education 
  • Documentary 
  • Care & shared moments

10u: base groups 


10u40: collective info / shared moment


BREAK


11u15: Ecofeminism & Decolonisation 

[Amina Adebisi Odofin & Omar Jabarry]

10u: base groups 


10u40: collective info / shared moment


BREAK


11u15: workshops ‘Imagining Environmentally Just Futures’ (low tech, fair food systems, shared living,

10u: base groups


10u40: collective info / shared moment


BREAK


11u15: working groups

  • Art & zines
  • Education 
  • Documentary 
  • Care & shared moments

13u: LUNCH

13u: LUNCH

13u: LUNCH

13u: LUNCH

13u: LUNCH

14u-15u45: Introduction to Environmental Justice

[Ewoud Vandepitte]



BREAK


16u: base groups (intro questions) 

14u-15u45: Crisis of capitalism & alternative economies 

[Jonas Van der Slycken]


BREAK


16u: workshops ‘The Need for Alternative Economies’ (mobility, food, housing, public spaces, tech, money…) 

14u-15u45: parallel sessions ‘Case studies on Struggle for Environmental Justice’ 



BREAK


16u: working groups

  • Art & zines
  • Education 
  • Documentary 
  • Care & shared moments





EXCURSIONS (2 options)




CLOSURE ACTIVITY




17u: optional drinks

17u30: optional drinks

17u30: optional drinks

17u30: drinks & dinner

17u: drinks & book market 

Yoga / drink & draw 

KEYNOTE → TBA

Cost?

The summer school is free of charge for participants. All activities and lunches (plant-based) are covered by UGent. Transport and accommodation are not covered (!).Summerschool Klimaat workshop: Campus Sterre klimaatneutraal.

Accessibility

If you are a person with limited mobility or if you have other special needs to attend this activity, please do not hesitate to contact us so we can look together at how we can meet your needs. All locations are wheelchair accessible.

When

The summer school takes place from 15 to 19 September 2025.

Language

English, but some parallel sessions will be in Dutch. We try to create a space where people can easily express themselves.

Interested?

Deadline extended! You can sign up through this registration form until the 6th of July. We will let you know in July if you are selected.

Contact 

duurzaam@ugent.be

Coordinator: Femke Feys