We invite students from various countries and disciplines to apply for the Multidisciplinary & International Summer School on Urban River Restoration 2026, taking place from 29 June to 3 July 2026 at Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic.
Urban river restoration is increasingly recognised as a key approach to improving environmental quality and liveability in cities. Although revitalised streams can provide multiple benefits, such as flood mitigation, biodiversity enhancement, urban cooling, and recreational value; their implementation using nature-based solutions remains limited in practice. Urban environments pose a number of challenges, including space constraints, complex land ownership, and limited awareness among stakeholders.
The summer school addresses these challenges by bringing together participants from different backgrounds who will collaboratively explore and design nature-based solutions for urban river restoration.
The summer school is part of the ReBioClim project funded by the Interreg Central Europe programme and is organised by the Institute for Economic and Environmental Policy (Faculty of Social and Economic Studies) and the Department of Geography (Faculty of Science), Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, in collaboration with international partners including Technische Universität Dresden, Leibniz Institute of Ecological and Regional Development (IOER), Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Poznań University of Life Sciences, and Anhalt University of Applied Sciences.
What will you do?
After visiting real sites in Ústí nad Labem, participants will work in interdisciplinary teams to design measures that enhance biodiversity and improve the riverside for both human and other living organisms. These measures will then be assessed from ecological, spatial, and social perspectives. The final outcome will be a set of clearly defined best-practice solutions.
The programme combines expert lectures, group work, and field visits, providing participants with practical experience and opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.
Practical information
Location: Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
Dates: 29 June – 3 July 2026
Application deadline: 15 May 2026
Language of the course: English
Participation in the course is free of charge. Lunch and dinner are provided. Participants are expected to arrange and cover their own accommodation. We recommend using university dormitories; accommodation details and the booking form are available here.
Participants will receive 5 ECTS awarded by Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem.
More detailed information about the programme and travel will be provided after the selection process.
How to apply
Please apply by filling out the online application form: here
Contact
Dr. Jiří Louda, louda@ieep.cz
Dr. Lenka Dubová, dubova@ieep.cz