Summer School on Global Challenges

The academic part of the Summer School will address issues such as managing borders in Europe, climate change, water and resource conflicts, geopolitics in Europe and the politics of international trade, with eight classes and the presence of international lecturers, such as: Viktoria Akchurina, American University of Central Asia; Piotr Dutkiewicz,Carleton University; Alexander Reichwein, University of Giessen; Benedetta Voltolini, Kings College, London; Saulesh Yessenova, University of Calgary. Debate will be encouraged by addressing specific case studies on the issues presented in class. Participants who require will also present a paper on the issues tackled during the Summer School and will receive advice from their peers and the instructor on how to write a strong paper, both methodologically and content wise.

Participants will be introduced to some of the successful business stories in Trentino. Meetings with the CEOs of locally-based companies that have expanded globally on the market are planned: Ferrari winery, La Sportiva sport equipment, Trentingrana, along with trips to Rovereto, close to Trento, to visit Progetto Manifattura and PoloMeccatronica, which are examples of how to create an innovative and sustainable economy and business hub.
These meetings will open discussion about how to adapt local realities to global challenges.

Trentino-Alto Adige has become one of the richest regions in natural and geographic wonderland. The leisure part of the Summer School will bring participants to explore the amazing landscapes of this mountain region, where Italian and German language and culture live side by side. An excursion to Val di Fiemme, with its spectacular Dolomites, is part of the programme.

Course leader

Prof. Vincent Della Sala, scientific coordinator; Leila Giannetto PhD academic tutor

Target group

Admissions reserved to up to 25 senior Undergraduate and Graduate students with the following background: European Studies, Political Science, Sociology, International Relations, Law, Economics, Contemporary History (or similar). A good level of English is needed (B2). Nomination by partner institutions and selection by UniTrento with the follwing selection criteria: English level, CV, motivation letter.

Course aim

To say that contemporary states are beset by major challenges to their economic, social and political foundations is a truism. Understanding the nature of those challenges, their sources and possible solutions is central to understanding the contemporary world. This is especially true in the European Union, which is having to confront questions such as migration, a rapidly changing geo-political environment, the lingering effects of economic crisis and even the future development of democracy. The EU is a perfect laboratory to understand the causes and consequences of many of the global challenges in the contemporary world. This is why the University of Trento is proud to host an international summer school on global challenges, right from the heart of Europe.