Viadrinicum Summer School: Urban Change and Creative Interactions!

Viadrinicum Summer School: Urban Change and Creative Interactions!

The European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder) is preparing for the 11th annual summer school Viadrinicum, which will take place from Monday, August 18, 2025. Under the title "Urban Dis/locations. Ruptures and Reimaginations", researchers, artists and activists will come together to explore the complex questions surrounding the urban fabric. This includes a critical examination of the ruptures caused by historical neglect and emancipatory movements and promotes dialogue on the development of alternative visions of the future.

Participants can expect not only an intensive program of workshops, but also public events that encourage participation. The opening of the summer school begins with a lecture by Prof. Dr. Friederike Landau-Donnelly on academic writing in urban research on Monday at 6:15 p.m. in the Viadrina box hall. A preliminary event will take place on Saturday, August 16th, at 6 p.m. on Zukunftsplatz.

Program and activities

The Viadrinicum offers a variety of activities that make the topics of urban change tangible. Collaboration agreements with the city of Frankfurt (Oder) enable participants to design temporary architectural projects and create wooden street furniture. These construction activities will take place daily from August 18th to 29th (except August 24th).

Special highlights include the “Cooking Franky O.” event. on Wednesday, August 20th, and an open-air cinema evening on Friday, August 22nd. There will also be a photo lab excursion with photographer Roman Boichuk on Sunday, August 24th. A craft workshop for children will take place from August 26th to 29th, from 4 p.m. The results of these creative processes will be presented on Saturday, August 30th, from 4 p.m. at Zukunftsplatz.

International participants and application process

With over 550 applications and only 35 places available, the interest in the Viadrinicum summer school shows its high international attractiveness. Participants come from 16 countries, including Armenia, India, Brazil, Japan, Kosovo, Ukraine and Italy. The program is aimed at students, young researchers, civil society activists and artists and cultural workers under the age of 35 who are interested in transsectoral and transdisciplinary approaches.

In addition, a selection process enables travel grants, while accommodation costs are covered by the organizers. Participants are encouraged to develop their own small projects in workshops and present them as part of the summer school.

Contextualization through commons research

In connection with the topics of the summer school, the interest in the role of “urban commons” in social-ecological transformation is important. The magazine sub\urban has launched a call for papers to examine the interactions between urban spaces and commons. These discuss essential questions about social justice, climate adaptation and alternative social models. Perspectives from different disciplines are needed to address the challenges of our time.

With a clear focus on transdisciplinary approaches and the combination of academic and practical formats, the Viadrinicum summer school not only offers a platform for imparting knowledge, but also for actively shaping urban spaces. This dialogue can create new impulses for future urban development that take both local and international perspectives into account.

If you would like to learn more about summer school, visit europa-uni.de, Information about the Viadrinicum is available on viadrinicum.blog and look up to Commons research zeitschrift-suburban.de.