The Global Sustainability Summer School 2012 is an intensive two-week program that will be organized jointly by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), in partnership with the Santa Fe Institute (SFI). It will explore global sustainability issues from a complex system perspective with particular focus on risks, uncertainties, and extreme events.
With enrollment limited to 35 participants, the summer school wants to attract young professionals from universities, governmental and non-governmental agencies and industry over a wide range of disciplines and professions. Participants will come from all world regions, fostering international cooperation and exchange.
The program will comprise lectures, field trips and interactive project activities. Field trips will lead to the German parliament, a carbon-capture-and-storage demonstration site, and an artist’s workshop in Berlin. Each participant will produce an op-ed article to be published in his/her local media and will take part in a scientific illustration exercise. Students will also be involved in constructing agent-based models or staging a theatre performance, according to their personal preferences and educational backgrounds.

Students are expected to attend the program for the full two weeks. All activities will be conducted in English.

The program builds upon previous summer schools organized by the Santa Fe Institute in 2009 and 2010. In 2011 the summer school was held in Brunei.