Summer School 2015 – Second Summer School

IRCS (International Research Center on Sustainability) at Rheims University is hosting a Summer School on Sustainable City Region Food and Agriculture Systems in the frameworkof the yearly Rencontres Internationales de Reims in Sustainability Studies. This summer school is organized jointly with SENSE (Netherlands Research School for Socio-Economic and Natural Sciences of the Environment).

This course is specifically designed not only for doctoral students, but also for pre-docs, post-docs and young scholars, who whish to further explore sustainable urban agriculture, discuss cutting-edge research with peers and established scholars alike and develop specific skills such as presenting their own research, developing abstracts, performing in situ observations and discussing the research of other scholars in the make.

The course will take place in an environment that favours mutual learning, exchange and conviviality surrounded by the beautiful landscape of Champagne. The summer school is composed of three modules and a high-level final conference. The specific topics of each module are the following:

  • Urban agriculture systems;
  • Urban agriculture planning;
  • Urban agriculture controversies.

Each module lasts a full day and is composed of two sessions:

  • Morning session: interactive lectures;
  • Afternoon session: parallel workshops
    1. Research seminars (participants present their research followed by a discussion animated by an established scholar);
    2. Abstract development (participants discuss their abstracts in small groups);
    3. Field visits (participants perform an in situ observation of urban agriculture projects in small groups).

The summer school will be hosted by the IATEUR (Institute of Regional Development, Environment and Urban Planning of Rheims University). It will start on Sunday 21 June in the afternoon and finish on Thursday 25 June 2015 in the afternoon. It is planned so to allow most participants to arrive and leave Reims the same day.

The summer school fees will cover all standard expenses except travel to Reims. Participants will be hosted in a CROUS student residence (www.crous-reims.fr). Lunch will be provided at the venue. Local transport will be ensured using public transportation.