Viadrinicum is an annual transsectoral summer school organized by the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder) in cooperation with the Centre for East European and International Studies (ZOiS, Berlin) and supported by the Eberhard-Schöck-Stiftung. The program focuses on Central and Eastern Europe and the Eastern Partnership countries, examining the concepts of the learning city and cooperative urban action.

The 2026 edition, titled "Practicing Urban Junctures: Cooperative City and Its Social Bearings" takes place from August 16 to August 30, 2026. The school critically interrogates the political-economic foundations of cities as common goods, exploring urban planning, property relations, dwelling practices, and bottom-up institutional design. Participants will engage in applied experimentation through a participatory urban intervention in the German-Polish twin city Frankfurt (Oder)-Słubice.

Team structure: You will work within an international and transdisciplinary cohort of students, PhD candidates, civil society activists, and artists up to 35 years old. The internal selection process will pick exactly 2 KSE students to represent the university. Participants will collaborate in teams within three specialized labs (Doc.Lab, Makers.Lab, or Planners.Lab) alongside professional facilitators, researchers from ZOiS Berlin, and local communities.

Key responsibilities:

• Take an active part in academic lectures, round tables, film screenings, and public discussion events.
• Collaborate in team-based lab workshops (Doc.Lab, Makers.Lab, or Planners.Lab) to design and execute a small urban project.
• Engage with local communities to implement a practical, participatory urban intervention in the twin city area.
• Present and discuss your own academic, civic, or cultural work during dedicated Open Space sessions.
• Contribute to transdisciplinary dialogues combining academic, artistic, and activist knowledge.

Requirements:

• Currently enrolled student or young researcher up to 35 years old (with priority given to socio-humanitarian specialties such as Urban Studies, Public Policy, History, or Sociology).
• Genuine interest in transsectoral and transdisciplinary approaches to urban planning, civic self-organization, and governance.
• Strong proficiency in English sufficient to participate actively in academic and practical discussions.
• Submission of a tailored motivational letter detailing your interest and fit for the program.

Nice to have:

• Background or practical involvement in NGO activism, community organizing, or urban artistic projects.
• Academic interest in post-war reconstruction, municipal asset management, or regional development models.

What they offer:

• Fully covered accommodation costs in Frankfurt (Oder) / Słubice for the duration of the school.
• Travel scholarship to cover transportation expenses for the successful applicants.