On Intergenerational Justice

About

COLOGNE SUMMER SCHOOLS invites international students to Cologne to explore questions of intergenerational justice and sustainable future visions. The summer school is open for all majors and approaches the subject in trans- and interdisciplinary perspectives. The academic program is clustered in five sections focusing on recent research as well as urgent socio-political aspects of (inter-)generational issues. The participants will learn more about

1) intergenerational justice and sustainability in the field of climate change, environmental politics and social transformations,

2) demographic changes in the Global North and Global South and their effects on education, social security and wellbeing,

3) intergenerational conviviality and cooperation in politics, organizations and institutional law,

4) discrimination of/within (past, present, future) generations including questions of epistemic injustice, colonial legacies and structural discrimination of class, gender and race,

5) (inter-)generational experiences and narratives in the context of historical and biographical research asking how they affect social unity, collective identities and actions.

Through lectures, seminars and group projects the participants will engage in discussions on intergenerational justice and future visions in the fields of economics, social sciences, politics, law, history, education and environmental and cultural studies.

The cultural program includes a buddy program, an intercultural training and an international picnic, site visits and excursions in Cologne and the region, a welcome ceremony and a farewell dinner at the University of Cologne.

The COLOGNE SUMMER SCHOOL will take place at the University of Cologne, Germany, in a hybrid format from July 21 until August 1, 2025. There will be 20 onsite participation spots and 12 online participation spots

Course leader

The course is conceptualized and organized by the International Office of University of Cologne with the kind academic support of University of Cologne's lecturers as well as lecturers of local institutions in Cologne and partner universities abroad

Target group

Advanced Bachelor and Master students. Students from all university majors are welcome to apply!

Applications requirements:
-English proficiency TOEFL iTP 600-677, TOEFL iBT 95-120, IELTS (6,5-9), Cambridge Advanced (C1) or Proficiency (C2) Certificate. This requirement does not apply to native speakers and applicants who study entirely in English.
-above average academic performance
-CV in English (max. 2 pages)
-Transcript of Records (ToR) issued and stamped by your home university
-Video of motivation - Instead of uploading a motivation letter, we ask for a video of max. 3 minutes introducing yourself and your academic interest in the topic. Explain your motivation to participate in the hybrid Summer School on Intergenerational Justice in Cologne.

Please read carefully through our requirements stated in the Call for Application and Application form before submitting your documents. This information is published on our website

Course aim

The goal of the summer school is to provide a global overview on the topic of Intergenerational Justice from an interdisciplinary perspective and foster discussion as well as academic and intercultural exchange on all levels.

Cologne Summer Schools is an established institution at the University of Cologne and has supported over 4400 students internationally by organizing programs in Cologne and abroad and enabling students' mobility on a global level. Our mission is creating opportunities for intercultural and academic exchange in a socially responsible manner