University launches innovative summer camp for sustainable health!

University launches innovative summer camp for sustainable health!

The Catholic University (KU) today launched the Call for Applications for its third Summer Camp, which will take place in 2025 under the main theme “Connecting planetary health and human well-being”. As the university announced on its website, the camp was launched due to strong interest over the past two years. The application deadline for idea sketches ends on April 21, 2025 and is aimed at master's students and doctoral students who would like to develop innovative ideas linking environmental protection and health issues. 

The camp, which is part of the “People in Motion” project and is funded by the Ingolstadt Science Excellence Foundation – Ignaz Kögler, offers participants the opportunity to discuss their concepts with experts. At the end, 20 selected participants will have the chance to further develop their work. Some of the continuing education opportunities offered include workshops on designing scientific posters, applying to conferences, and design thinking.

Diversity of topics and environmental responsibility

As part of the summer camp, specialist scientific impulses are given on various relevant topics such as sustainable living spaces, health prevention, mechanization of care, social justice and medical ethics. These issues are not only important to the scientific community, but also meet the needs of our time, when the gap between environmental and health issues is becoming increasingly clear.

A fundamental concept that is receiving increasing attention in this context is that of planetary boundaries. It describes the environmental limits that are crucial for maintaining the stability of the Earth's ecosystems. These include aspects such as global warming, ocean acidification and the loss of forest areas. These planetary factors are not only ecological challenges, but also have direct impacts on human health, underscoring the relevance of the upcoming camp.

Connection between people and planet

This interface between environment and health is also the focus of the multidimensional research discipline “Planetary Health”. She analyzes the connections between human well-being and the state of our environment. In particular, the tipping elements identified, such as the death of coral reefs or the melting of the Greenland ice sheet, illustrate how human activities can cause irreversible changes.

The thematic contributions in the current literature show that health-related environmental risks have far-reaching consequences for human health. Solutions such as heat action plans, climate-sensitive care and green nudging are discussed as possible ways to address these challenges. The KU encourages summer camp participants to become actively involved in shaping a more sustainable and healthy future.

The Summer Camp at the Catholic University is therefore not only a forum for academic exchange, but also a step towards practical applicability and social engagement, which is urgently needed to overcome the challenges of the next decades.

Further information is available on the website KU available. Furthermore describes CPHP Berlin the fundamental aspects of planetary health, while Nomos provides an in-depth analysis of the connections between climate and health protection.