“From Farm to Fork”: Circle U. summer school in Agroecology

From 30 July to 6 August, Humboldt-Universität’s Division of Vocational Teaching in Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences is inviting you to a free-of-charge Circle U. summer school in Germany’s Markgräflerland. Get all information here!

In 2020, the EU Commission presented the "From Farm to Fork" agricultural strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system by 2030 as a core of the European Green Deal.

The Division of Agricultural Ecology at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin invites you to the international Circle U. Summer School in the Markgräflerland region in southwestern Germany from 30 July to 6 August. Here, you will learn the basics of the “Farm to Fork” strategy, discuss it with your fellow students, gain practical agricultural experience on site, and conduct interviews on the strategy and its implementation. A special focus will lie on aspects of agroecology.

Real-life examples of sustainable agriculture

The Markgräflerland region is located in the extreme southwest of Germany, at the border triangle between Mulhouse (F), Freiburg im Breisgau (D) and Basel (CH). The Markgräflerland is characterized by vineyards and fruit orchards and offers many examples of sustainable agriculture. We will study these positive approaches from a “Farm to Fork" perspective.

We will explore the area by bicycle and visit the horticultural show “Landesgartenschau Neuenburg am Rhein 2022” as well as farms and horticultural businesses where we will interview producers and consumers and organize our own small public event at the horticultural show. We will stay at camping site Dreiländer Campingplatz Gugel, in our own tents and be largely self-sufficient for the week, preparing our food in a kitchen tent. Finally, we will do a city trip to Freiburg (a Lonely Planet Top Destination 2022!). The full summer school programme can be found here.

The summer school will in English. Participation involves preparing and submitting an individual portfolio as well as actively contributing to a group portfolio. Students can earn five ECTS. If you would like to find out fore or ask your questions, join our virtual info session on 26 April, 2pm, on Zoom.

Prerequisites

  • knowledge of the EU strategy "From Farm to Fork", available in 24 European languages
  • active participation in the summer school
  • participation in the online preparation and introduction
  • practical participation in self-catering
  • practical cooperation on the practice day (be sure to bring work clothes!) 

 

You will stay overnight in your own tent and use a bicycle for our day-visits. In case of special requirements please inform the organizers well in advance.

How to apply

If you are a graduate or advanced undergraduate student (second year and up) and would like to apply, please submit your application and supporting documents (CV, letter of motivation, enrolment certificate and transcripts) online by April 29.* (Applications are closed.)

The selection committee consisting of staff and professors from Circle U. universities will select eligible participants based on the following criteria: motivation letter, CV, English language proficiency (at least level B2 according to the CEFR) and grade point average (GPA). Our Summer School is competitive and even excellent applications may be rejected if all 20 places have been filled. The selection committee will aim for an even distribution of participants across all alliance members. Students will receive their confirmation letters by the end of May.

Travel grants explained

The summer school is free of charge and comes with a grant provided by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with funding from the Federal Foreign Office. The grant covers travel and accommodation. It includes 250 Euros for the stay as well as a country-specific travel stipend according to DAAD specifications (Belgium: 225 euros, Denmark: 225 euros, France: 325 euros, United Kingdom: 250 euros, Italy: 375 euros, Norway: 200 euros, Austria: 225 euros, Serbia: 300 euros). The grants will be handed out in cash at the start of the summer school.

Students of Humboldt-Universität are welcome to apply. However, the abovementioned DAAD grants are not available to them. Alternative funding is available, please get in touch for further information. Please contact us by email if you have any questions regarding funding or the application procedure.

* Please note that for the purpose of selecting summer school participants we intend to disclose your personal data (name, semester, letter of motivation, grade point average) to our Circle U. partner universities (Aarhus Universitet, Univerzitet u Beogradu, King’s College London, Université catholique de Louvain, Universitetet i Oslo, Université Paris Cité, Universität Wien, Universitá die Pisa).

** Since the ongoing pandemic situation is highly dynamic it may lead to changes at short notice. Therefore, please note we might have to reschedule or conduct the summer school in a virtual format.