Alternet Summer School

Alternet Summer School

4 – 14 September 2024

Open to PhD and early career researchers (as well as professionals in related fields), the Alternet Summer School – organised and supported in cooperation with Biodiversa+  – creates an innovative atmosphere for considering the environmental challenges that society is currently facing, particularly those around biodiversity. Peyresq, a picturesque village in the Haute-de-Provence Alpes, provides an unparalleled setting for dynamic discussions and transdisciplinary learning.

This year’s programme theme is entitled: Biodiversity and Society: science, policy and transformative change.

Registration is open!

Deadline: 25 April 2024

Register to attend

About the Alternet Summer School

Biodiversity and Society: science, policy and transformative change

Biodiversity is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history, with serious impacts on people around the world. The Alternet summer school focuses on the challenge of biodiversity management and conservation by exploring drivers of biodiversity loss, and the role of ecological knowledge and social science approaches.

We debate the potential of concepts such as valuation and nature’s contributions to people. We also examine how various initiatives at the science-policy interface embrace these concepts for decision-making, and with what success. Finally, we discuss the need to develop inter-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary approaches, and working with stakeholders to foster the transformative change needed to bring society onto a sustainable path.

Activities and participation

The Alternet Summer School is held annually in Peyresq, a remote mountain village in the Alpes de Haute Provence, south-eastern France, home of the Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc Foundation. The programme of activities includes:

  • Morning talks and discussion with 20 invited speakers
  • Afternoon group work on a mutual learning project about the local social-ecological system and its possible futures 
  • Aperitif talks prior to dinner
  • Field trips to the mountain pastures used by local shepherds and the Parc National du Mercantour
  • Free time in the evenings for leisure and further discussion

The summer school is open to graduate students, post-graduate scientists and professionals from environmental and social science fields with an interest in sustainability science. All participants are expected to actively contribute to all aspects of the summer school.

Peyresq

The village of Peyresq is a rustic, picturesque site in the French Alps (Alpes de Haute-Provence) situated about 1520m above sea level. The village is partly owned and managed by the European Association for Culture and for Artistic and Scientific Humanism Peyresq Foyer d’Humanisme, a Brussels-based philanthropic foundation which has assigned the village as a location for scientific and cultural meetings.

Peyresq has hosted the Alternet Summer Schools each year since 2006 (apart from 2020).

Speakers and Programme

2024 Speakers TBA

2023 speakers included:

  • Allan Watt, UK-CEH
  • Francis Turkelboom, INBO
  • Mario Torralba, Uni Kassel
  • Fabien Quetier, Rewilding Europe
  • Sander Jacobs, INBO
  • Carla Washbourne, UCL
  • Bruno Locatelli, CIRAD
  • Juliette Young, INRAE
  • Wolfgang Cramer, IMBE
  • Erik Gomez-Baggethun, NMBU
  • Hilde Eggermont, Biodiversa+
  • Karen O’Brien, UiO
  • Sybille van den Hove, Bridging for Sustainability

2024 programme TBA (2023 programme below)

2024 Registration

Registration is open!

Deadline: 25 April 2024

Register to attend

Costs

Most of the costs of the Summer School are covered by Alternet and Biodiversa+ but students are asked to contribute: €1,200. This covers full attendance at the summer school and all local costs, including accommodation, meals, refreshments, and field trips. Travel costs must be covered by the participants or by their institution.

A small number of support grants to waive part or all of the student contribution are available for students from countries where funding to attend such courses is limited. Additionally, we are pleased to waive registration costs for an eligible Ukrainian student.

Contact us

For all enquiries concerning the Summer School, please contact:

"A modern-day School of Aristotle, where lecturers learn as much as students - if not more."

Martin SharmanSummer School speaker

Summer School Conveners

Allan Watt

UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

Marie Vandewalle

Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ)

Uta Fritsch

Eurac Research

Nicolas Dendoncker

University of Namur

Brooke Wilkerson

University of Bergen

Emilie Crouzat

French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE)

Biodiversa+ actively supports the organization of the Alternet Summer school.

Learn more about our key collaboration with Biodiversa+.