Applications are open for the Summer School programme: Our Systemic Relation to Nature

This summer, TheRockGroup (TRG) leads an initiative at the University of Amsterdam exploring our systemic relationship with nature and how restoring this balance can help address today’s sustainability challenges.

The programme is designed and taught by our experts Lucas Steinbusch, Rixt van der Giessen and Elfrieke van Galen, who bring together academic insight and real-world practice. During this UvA Summer School program 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗲.

Through interactive discussions and a collaborative group project, the participants will:
🔹 examine emerging alternatives for living within natural systems
🔹 develop their own perspective on humanity’s relationship with nature
🔹 and gain an introduction to systems thinking and practical sustainability.

Reflecting on the purpose of the programme Lucas explains: “We are confronted on a daily basis with the sustainability challenges we face. This programme truly gives us the opportunity to ask fundamental questions about thesechallenges and to genuinely understand where these challenges,and the solutions, come from today.” 💬

𝗔𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽, 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗶𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲-𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. We focus on the deeper, systemic imbalances that shape our relationship with the world around us, and on how the disrupted balance between humanity and nature influences the challenges we face.

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲?

🗓️ Apply now by 1 February 2026 (early deadline) or 15 March (final deadline) with the link below, and join us in Amsterdam from 19 July - 6 August 2026.

Find all details and apply here: https://lnkd.in/exq5jPD5

‍Questions? summer-info-gsss@uva.nl