In the summer school ‘Society, Environment, Transportation and Space: Experiences in Making a Country Future-Proof’ of the Faculty of Spatial Sciences of the University of Groningen you will learn how the Netherlands has been working in the fields of water management, sustainable transportation (bicycles) and smart urban planning (compact city development), as a combined and integrated effort to keep the residents of the country as safe and happy as possible
The Netherlands has an impressive track record of achievements aimed at protecting its population from sea and river floodings, but also protecting the millions and millions of bicyclists (27% of all trips are made by bicycle) from other, motorized modes of transportation while simultaneously ensuring high-quality and full-fledged connectivity. The urgency of new creative spatial planning policies and design solutions is nowhere in the world so evident as in the Netherlands, where already 60% of the population lives below sea level and forecasts of rising sea levels call for actions to make the country future-proof.
The Faculty of Spatial Sciences offers this 4-week course each year in June. The course has a study load that is equivalent to 6 European credits (or 3 US credits). If you are interested in issues in sustainability, environmental planning, sustainable transportation/bicycle usage and infrastructure, healthification of space, social housing and social inclusion, urban and regional planning including compact city policies, water management and related subjects, you are welcome to join the SETS summer course.
Course leader
Drs. Paul van Steen
Esther de Vries
Target group
For undergraduate and graduate students in the field of planning, urban geography, transportation, environmental engineering, architecture and design, and other fields that have a clear link to settlement and livability issues.
Course aim
The aim of the summer course is to develop an understanding of the ways The Netherlands, considered by many as "The Gateway to Europe", deals with economic, environmental and settlement challenges. These challenges are to be placed in the context of increasing levels of globalization, the expected effects of the changing climate on water management and flood protection systems, as well as sustainability concerns related to increasing levels of mobility in general and car usage and ridership in particular – all of which seem to exercise even stronger impacts on the population of one of the most densely populated countries of the world.
Credits info
6 EC
Upon successful completion of the programme, the Summer School offers a Certificate of Attendance that mentions the workload (28 hours corresponds to 1 ECTS). Students can apply for recognition of these credits to the relevant authorities in their home institutions, therefore the final decision on awarding credits is at the discretion of their home institutions. We will be happy to provide any necessary information that might be requested in addition to the certificate of attendance.
The course is worth 6 European Credits, which for most USA universities translates into 3 credits.
Fee info
EUR 1490: Standard participant fee (excl. housing): € 1490
Participation fee for students from a partner university outside the European Union : € 1340
The course fee includes a rental bicycle, a number of bus excursions, and approximately 10 to 12 meals (lunches/dinners) as part of excursions or site visits. No additional teaching or tuition fees are charged.
EUR 1190: Participation fee for students from a university in the European Union: € 1190
Participation fee for students from an Erasmus partner university in the European Union: € 1070
The course fee includes a rental bicycle, a number of bus excursions, and approximately 10 to 12 meals (lunches/dinners) as part of excursions or site visits. No additional teaching or tuition fees are charged.
For further information, please click the "LINK TO ORIGINAL" button below.