Participatory Processes in Agroecology and Landscape Restoration

This summer school is designed for participants of various levels of education and experience, including:

• Individuals interested in learning and acting to promote landscape restoration.

• Master and PhD students, Postdoc researchers and academics involved in projects that require engagement and participation of multiple stakeholders.

• Members of Grassroots Organizations, NGOs and Government Agencies.

• Facilitators and Educators committed to fostering collaboration and innovation.

It is expected that the participants have a sufficient command of the English language to actively participate in the discussions and to present their own work in English.

Preliminary course schedule

The course balances theory and practice and integrates lectures with practical group exercises and presentations of real cases from around the world. Participatory processes are used throughout the course to promote active learning. Organized in small groups, participants will be challenged and supported in applying course contents to a chosen case scenario. 

29 June - Day 1

• Introductions and course structure.

• Landscape restoration: a Global Agenda.

• Landscapes as socioecological systems.

• Case studies from around the World.

• Principles and processes for collaboration: the power of collective intelligence.

• Working groups

30 June - Day 2

• Landscape properties: Resilience, adaptability and antifragility. Multifunctionality.

• Agroecology, agricultural sustainability and food systems for landscape restoration.

• Landscapes and stakeholders, innovation systems and sustainability transitions.

• Participatory mapping: theory and practice.

• Case studies from around the World.

• Working groups

1 July - Day 3

• Designing landscape restoration projects: theory and practice.

• Case studies from around the World.

• Natured based solutions for project creation and management: the Dragon Dreaming framework.

• Working groups

2 July - Day 4

• Practical tools for collaborative visioning, strategic planning, implementation and evaluation of restorative projects.

• Case studies from around the World.

• Working groups

3 July - Day 5

• Games and participatory landscape restoration.

• Case studies from around the World.

• Working groups presentation.

• Course evaluation.

Learning outcomes

We expect that after this course the participants will:

1. Understand landscapes as socioecological systems and the key aspects to restore and foster multifunctionality.

2. Be able to design participatory processes that fit the needs of the projects they are involved with.

3. Feel comfortable to facilitate participatory processes and know where to search for more advanced skills.

4. Have gained knowledge and inspiration from examples of participatory processes in landscape restoration projects in Europe and Latin America.

Workload

• Preparation: 2 hours
• Lectures: 32 hours
• Group work: 8 hours

Upon successful completion of the programme, the Summer School offers a Certificate of Attendance that mentions the workload of 42 hours (28 hours corresponds to 1 ECTS). Students can apply for recognition of these credits to the relevant authorities in their home institutions, therefore the final decision on awarding credits is at the discretion of their home institutions. We will be happy to provide any necessary information that might be requested in addition to the certificate of attendance.

Pablo A. Tittonell (Ph.D.) is a Professor of Agroecology and Sustainable Landscapes at the University of Groningen, and Senior associate researcher at the French International Cooperation Centre for Agricultural Research and Development (CIRAD). He held a WWF-endowed Chair on Resilient Landscapes for Nature and People at the Groningen Institute of Evolutionary Life Sciences, and has been nominated Principal Research Scientist by Argentina’s National Council for Science and Technology (CONICET) since 2017. He is lead author of the IPBES (Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) report and has ample experience on co-innovation platforms aground agroecology, regenerative agriculture and circular bioeconomy worldwide.

Felipe N.B. Simas (D.Sc.)  is a permanent professor at the Department of Education of Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Brazil and a member of the Nucleus for Rural Education and Agroecology of UFV.  With a background in agronomy and soil sciences, he has experience in studies focused on the functioning of terrestrial ecossystems, sustainability of rural communities, agroecology and planning of multifunctional landscapes. He is a guest researcher at University of Groningen, hosted by the Conservation Ecology Group of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, under the supervision of Prof. Pablo Tittonell. His current research theme is the participatory design of education programs for landscape restoration.

Manuela Fernandez (Ph.D.) is a researcher at INTA (National Institute of Agricultural Technology) in Argentina. She actively participates in projects related to climate change, disaster risk management, and food system resilience, using a co-innovation and participatory research approach. She is a member of the IUCN-CEM in the Nature-based Solutions thematic group. From May to July, she will be doing a scientific exchange at University of Groningen, hosted by the Conservation Ecology Group of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, under the supervision of Prof. Pablo Tittonell.

To apply, kindly fill out the online application form. Please note that you will be asked to upload the following documents:

• Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)
• Motivation letter (max. 1 page) , clearly stating why you want to join this summer school. Furthermore, please explain what your previous experience with participatory processes and landscape restoration has been. If you have a specific project in which you need to apply participatory processes, give a brief description.

The deadline for application is 31 May 2026. Selection will take place on a rolling basis.