Learning City: Beyond the Classroom

About

Viadrinicum is an annual summer school at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder), devoted to the countries of the Eastern Partnership, and the larger context of Central and Eastern Europe. Its 2023 edition will revolve around the multifaceted question, how cities learn, and will look into the entanglements of urban learning and dwelling practices.

Departing from the UNESCO concept of learning cities, which emphasizes educational opportunities primarily from an institutional perspective, the school will invite students, young researchers, civil society activists, artists and cultural workers to equally reflect on the practices and spaces of everyday learning in an urban context. It will provide an opportunity to critically ponder the concept of
learning (as well as unlearning) as a relational process, inquiring into its democratic and emancipatory potential. In the light of the massive (internal) displacement caused by Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, the issue of accessibility of cities’ learning infrastructures for the newly arrived will be especially relevant for this year’s Viadrinicum.

Following the idea of experiential learning, a combination of academic and non-academic formats will allow the participants of the school to actively explore the possibilities for a dialogue between different kinds of knowledge from academia, civil society and the arts. In a more practical sense, the school will offer opportunities for applied experimentation in the setting of a participatory
urban intervention engaging local communities in the heart of the German-Polish twin city Frankfurt (Oder)-Słubice. This will happen in the frame of three lab.workshops (Doc.Lab, Community.Lab, Planners.Lab), where the participants will be able to develop their own small (team) projects with the assistance of facilitators from the respective fields.

Besides that, the school‘s program will feature round tables with researchers from the Center for East European and International Studies (ZOiS, Berlin), film screenings, public events, and Open Space sessions, where participants will have a chance to discuss their own scientific, civic or cultural work.

Successful applicants will be able to receive a travel scholarship. Accommodation costs will be covered by the organizers.

You can apply if you meet the following requirements:

• You are a student, a PhD candidate, a young researcher, an NGO activist, an artist or a practitioner from any other field up to 35 y/o;
• You have a genuine interest in transsectoral and interdisciplinary approaches to the topics of the school;
• Your knowledge of English is sufficient to take an active part in discussions.

Application form can be filled out on our website.

Deadline for application: June 15, 2023

More detailed information, including updates in the program of the school, can also be found on our website.

In case of any questions, feel free to contact us.

Target group

Students, PhD candidates, young researchers, NGO activists, artists and a practitioners from any other field (up to 35 years old)