Agricola Summer and Winter Schools
Are you eager to expand your understanding of sustainable development? Our annual Summer and Winter Schools bring together global experts, students, and professionals for a dynamic learning experience precisely designed for this purpose. You can immerse yourself in interactive workshops led by top specialists, participate in discussions, join sailing trips in the Wadden region, meet local organizations, solve challenges with your peers and establish lasting networks. Whether you're a student or a professional, join us for an impactful journey to deepen your knowledge and contribute to shaping the future of our planet!
Check out this year's Summer and Winter Schools
Taking place in January :

Over the course of this winter/summer school, participants will study the relationship between discourse, worldview, ontology and ethics, particularly in regard to questions of just sustainability transitions (in particular just water / food / energy nexus transitions). How are arguments for more sustainable ways to live on this planet being mediated to audiences? Who is doing the mediating, and how does the message change, depending on the speaker and audience?
Dates |
19 - 24 January 2025
|
Location |
Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa |
Level |
MA, PhD, Postdoc, Practitioners |
Application deadline |
15 November |
Taking place in May:

The summer school at African Rural University (ARU), a women-only institution in Uganda, invites participants to explore community action research, rural development, and sustainable change. Through workshops, visits, and discussions, they will engage with students, lecturers, and rural families to understand ARU’s approach to empowering women as change agents. Themes include rural entrepreneurship, climate change, and action research. Participants will develop ideas and lead workshops with community members on the final day. The program offers a unique blend of theory and practice, fostering collaboration and learning in a dynamic rural setting.
Dates |
26 – 31 May 2025 |
Location |
Kagadi, Uganda |
Level |
3rd year Bachelor students and above |
Application deadline |
1 March 2025 |
Taking place in June:

This two-week summer school focuses on developing skills in managing social risks and impacts associated with the development of investment projects and particularly issues related to land acquisition and resettlement. The Summer School is delivered by some of the world’s leading social assessment and resettlement practitioners. It is targeted to an international audience of current and intending social performance and resettlement practitioners, and people involved in the governance of projects from public and private institutions or from international financial institutions. It is also open to advanced students (Advanced MA students and PhD students) interested in the practical management of social issues associated with development.
Dates |
16 - 27 June 2025 |
Location |
Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Türkiye |
Level |
Advanced MA, PhD, Postdoc, Practitioners |
Application deadline |
TBD |

SuRe aims to bring together scholars and students from different disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences and humanities whose work is related to resilience issues at the micro-level of individuals, the meso-level of collectivities (organizations, communities, families), the macro-level of societies and their institutions, as well as its conceptual or ethical dimensions. Equipped with this knowledge, participants will be trained in an inter- and transdisciplinary learning environment combining theory, methods and practice into group projects. The Summer School will take place in the beautiful city of Rome and it is open to (excellent) REMA students, PhD students, post-docs and policy makers.
Dates |
23 - 28 June 2025 |
Location |
Rome, Italy, Royal Netherlands Institute |
Level |
ReMa/MA/PhD/Practitioners |
Application deadline |
1 March 2025 |
Taking place in July:

Islands serve as ideal 'laboratories' for examining the intricate interplay of environmental, social, and economic sustainability. During the summer school, participants will delve into key topics, encompassing the challenges and facilitators of cultural, economic, and social wellbeing, environmental and urban planning, tourism, and happiness on islands. The main teaching activities will take place on Bali and the smaller neighboring island Nusa Lembongan, with excursions on both islands. This immersive experience provides a unique blend of academic exploration and real-world insights, offering a nuanced understanding of the intricate challenges surrounding sustainability, quality of life, and happiness on islands. The Summer School is open to master students, PhD students, postdoc, and practitioners.
Dates |
28 June – 6 July 2025
|
Location |
Iceland |
Level |
MA/MSc/PhD/Postdoc/Practitioners |
Application deadline |
23 February 2025 |

Around the world, societies are suffering from an increasingly polarised public sphere. This polarisation of the public sphere diminishes the space for constructive and collaborative processes, and thereby undermines democracy, as well as our ability to collectively address the enormous challenges of our time, such as the climate crisis and societal inequality. During this summer school students will learn about and engage with current debates and emerging scientific insights which address and analyse our polarised times, and will work together in mixed groups (both in terms of discipline and country of study) on developing an intervention to mitigate against processes of polarisation in a specific context, brought in as a challenge by external societal partners.
Dates |
29 June - 4 July 2025 |
Location |
Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa |
Level |
BA/MA/(PhD if places available) |
Application deadline |
15 April 2025 |

What do boards do? What factors influence what they do and how they do it? How do they perform and contribute to the overall performance of the company they represent? This summer school aims to answer these questions taking a multi-disciplinary approach, discussing research from economics, finance, management and sociology and psychology. During this Summer School, participants will also discuss datasets and methodologies, and will be invited to present their own research (ideas) in the field of board effectiveness. The Summer School is open to research master students, PhD students, postdoc, academics and practitioner with clear interest in academic research.
Dates |
7 - 11 July 2025 |
Location |
Groningen, the Netherlands |
Level |
Research Master/PhD/Postdoc/Academic/Practitioner |
Application deadline |
19 May 2025 |
To be determined

Delve into the intricate realm of illicit trade at the University of Warsaw from July 8 to 12, 2024, through a comprehensive Summer School organized by GI-TOC, the Illicit Trade Group, and the Agricola School for Sustainable Development. This immersive learning experience offers a deep dive into the global issue of illicit trade, featuring lectures, workshops, and case studies led by renowned experts. Participants will explore the economic, social, and security implications of illicit activities, gaining insights into strategies for combatting them. Hosted at the prestigious University of Warsaw, this program promises a dynamic exploration of illicit trade's impacts on industries, communities, and global stability.
Dates |
TBD |
Location |
University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland |
Level |
BA (final year), MA, PhD and private sector practitioners |
Application deadline |
TBD |

This five-day summer school provides participants with a multidisciplinary grounding in the roots of inequality, poverty, and deprivation in Africa. Held at the University of Nairobi, home to the Kenya node of the African Centre of Excellence in Inequality Research (ACEIR), the program features lectures on historical and financial determinants of inequality, poverty measurement, and social mobility. Topics include pre-colonial and colonial inequality, financial inclusion, and international poverty measurements. The summer school delves into the roles of social institutions and norms, democracy in pluralistic societies, and the impact of financial development on sustainable development.
Dates |
TBD |
Location |
Nairobi, Kenya |
Level |
Students & Practitioners |
Application deadline |
TBD |

How to steer towards sustainability at the landscape level? In the Northern part of the Netherlands lies the World Heritage Wadden Sea Region, which has a strong drive towards sustainable development. The goal of this Summer School is to explore the challenges of steering towards sustainability at the landscape level. Join us for a five day sailing trip with lectures by leading experts showing you scientific perspectives from different fields. You will explore the themes of cultural heritage; coastal tourism; landscape stewardship; regional food production; and sustainable entrepreneurship.
Watch the video about the Agricola Wadden Experience
Dates |
TBD |
Location |
The boat trip will start at the harbour (ferry pier) of Holwerd and finish at the harbour of Lauwersoog. Travel to and from the harbours is the participants own responsibility and is not included in the fee. Both harbours are accessible by public transport. |
Level |
Advanced BA/MA/PhD students, Postdocs, Practitioners |
Application deadline |
TBD |
Last modified: | 04 February 2025 09.40 a.m. |