This course is specifically designed for doctoral students, including pre-docs, post-docs and young scholars, who wish to further explore urban agriculture, discuss cutting-edge research with peers and established scholars alike and develop specific skills such as presenting and discussing their own research with scholars, developing abstracts and discussing the research of other scholars in the make.

The summer school will be hosted by the IATEUR (Institute of Regional Development, Environment and Urban Planning of Rheims University). It will start on Sunday 21 June in the afternoon and finish on Thursday 25 June 2015 in the afternoon. It is planned so to allow most participants to arrive and leave Reims the same day.

Presentation

This course is specifically designed not only for doctoral students, but also for pre-docs, post-docs and young scho- lars, who whish to further explore sustainable urban agriculture, discuss cutting-edge research with peers and esta- blished scholars alike and develop specific skills such as presenting their own research, developing abstracts, perfor- ming in situ observations and discussing the research of other scholars in the make.

The course will take place in an environment that favours mutual learning, exchange and conviviality surrounded by the beautiful landscape of Champagne. The summer school is composed of three modules and a high-level final conference. The specific topics of each module are the following:

• Urban agriculture systems;
• Urban agriculture planning;
• Urban agriculture controversies.

Each module lasts a full day and is composed of two sessions:

• Morning session: interactive lectures;
• Afternoon session: parallel workshops:

1. 1. Research seminars (participants present their research followed by a discussion animated by an established scholar);
   2. Abstract development (participants discuss their abstracts in small groups);
   3. Field visits (participants perform an in situ observation of urban agriculture projects in small groups).

Each participant is expected to attend the morning lectures, as well as present and discuss their research and abstracts in the afternoon workshops. The final day will be devoted to the participation in the final conference of the Fifth Rencontres Internationales de Reims in Sustainability Studies, which this year focus on Urban Agriculture: Fostering the Urban-Rural Continuum.

Confirmed participants

• Christopher Bryant (University of Montreal, Canada),
• Pierre Donadieu and Roland Vidal (Versailles National Landscape School, France),
• Eric Duchemin (University of Quebec, Canada),
• Ulrike Grabski-Kieron (University of Münster, Germany),
• François Mancebo (Rheims University, France),
• Michele Talia (University of Cameri- no, Italy),
• Luca Tasciotti (Erasmus University of Rotterdam, Netherlands)
• Esther Veen (Wageningen University, Netherlands).

Fees

• Tuition: 300 euros (early bird) - 350 euros (full price)
• Dining: 100 euros
• Accommodation: 100 euros

The tuition fee covers all standard costs related to the summer school, except travel, dining and accom- modation. Each participant is responsible for his or her own travel to Reims. The organizers found a convenient accommodation solution and put together a convivial dining package, including a vegetarian option and a formal dinner with lecturers, at a student-friendly price. All participants are most welcome to join in, but participants are of course free to dine independently and find their own accommodation. Local transport, coffee breaks, lunches, planned drinks and the cultural program are free for all enrolled partici-pants. The accommodation and dining packages need to be paid in advance.

Workshops

Modules

Three modules in the morning – four hours each with a coffee break for each module:

1. Urban and periurban agriculture in the urban social-environmental system;
2. Integrating food strategies in land use planning;
3. Feeding the planet or the happy few: kitchen gardens, local food and agro-urban industry.

Three types of workshops in the afternoon facilitated by SENSE and IRCS established scholars and young researchers – three hours each with a coffee break for each workshop:

- Presentation of the participant’s research projects and discussion by scholars and in small group:

• Urban agriculture systems;
• Urban agriculture planning;
• Urban agriculture controversies;

- Abstract development: small groups of young resear- chers present and discuss each other’s abstracts;

- Field visits: small groups of participants observe urban agriculture projects in situ.

Pre-registration

If you are interested in attending, please pre-register to this summer school using this link. Actual inscriptions will be opened approximately three months before the event. Pre-registrations help us plan the event and ensure that all those who are interested in attending are informed as soon as inscriptions are opened.

Pre-registration deadline : 21 March 2015

Questions?

If you encounter difficulties with the inscription process or if you have any question about this summer school, the organizing team is at your disposal. Please contact us at ircs-school@univ-reims.fr, visit our website www.sustainability-studies.org or ask our alumni on Facebook!