Public Spaces - Fit for the Future
13th international alpine WinterSchool "Sustainable Urban & Community Development"
February 19 - 23, 2024 [on-site block week]
@Fachhochschule Kufstein Tirol - University of Applied Sciences
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How can we combine green solutions & sustainable infrastructure while optimizing functionality and aesthetics?
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What innovative strategies can we adopt to ensure that our spaces can withstand the emerging challenges of climate change?
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How can we design public spaces that encourage real social interaction in our digital age?
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How can we ensure that everyone, regardless of age, income, ability or background, feels welcome and included?
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What building uses & infrastructure support the Economy for the Common Good?
In this topic, we focus on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations and more specifically on the Sustainable Development Goals [SDG] #11 Sustainable Cities and Communitie, #13 Climate action as well as #10 Reduced Inequality.
Join us this winter in the alpine region of Kufstein
The alpine region serves as the backdrop for our WinterSchool, a place known for its balance between city development and environmental sustainability.
Explore relevant questions about public spaces and their relevance to current and future challenges. During this WinterSchool, you will work together in inter- and intra-disciplinary teams for a week. Real-world examples of sustainability, energy, and real estate will be presented in the alpine setting of Kufstein. The WinterSchool offers the opportunity to explore these area in depth and make international contacts. With online research components prior to participation and a post-week summary, this program offers a comprehensive blend of virtual and on-site learning experiences.
Participants of the WinterSchool will be required to commit to a total workload of approximately 100 hours. This includes approx. 50 hours for the block week, 25 hours for preparatory online research, and an additional 25 hours on average for follow-up activities. Upon successful completion of all components, you will be issued a certificate of attendance.
Intradisciplinary project & international expertise
During the WinterSchool, a wide range of topics is covered, including sustainability and energy management, real estate management, financing and investment, and technical and social aspects. With over 200 students from international partner universities, you will work for a week in small groups on a project task. Experts and coaches support you in learning about new ideas and approaches, researching, analyzing, sharing experiences, learning from each other, and expanding your skills. You will present your ideas in interim presentations and receive feedback on them. At the end, you will present a sustainable concept in front of a jury that will evaluate the project and provide feedback.
Be part of the award-winning WinterSchool
In 2014, our WinterSchool was awarded the Austrian Sustainability Award for the structural anchoring of the project. The award was given by the Ministry of Life and the Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy. In 2014, the Austrian UNESCO Commission awarded the WinterSchool for sustainable education as an Austrian UN Decade Project. In 2018, our WinterSchool received again the Austrian Sustainability Award as an award in the field of sustainable cooperation from the Federal Ministry of Sustainability and Tourism and the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research.
Sustainable education
Your participation in the Winterschool is free of charge. At the same time you commit yourself with your registration to the obligatory participation. If you are unable to attend, please cancel your registration so that we can adjust the group allocation. Please organize your journey and accommodation in Kufstein independently and at your own expense in time. The cheap guesthouses are booked up very quickly. Kufstein and the University of Applied Sciences are very easy to reach by train. So please travel as ecologically as possible. In Kufstein you have many possibilities to get food: in the cafeteria of the university, many restaurants and snack bars around and of course we have a microwave to heat up your own food during the daily lunch break.
Essential working material
The tasks are to be created digitally. Please bring an internet enabled device (laptop or tablet) with the ability to edit presentations, share data via MS Teams, and communicate. Also have a headest with you! Warm clothes and waterproof and snowproof shoes are important, even though we don't know what the weather will be like today. We will spend some time together outdoors and on excursions. Please budget for some spending money as well. We are planning evening events together to get to know each other and socialize.
Kufstein - great place in the alpine region
Kufstein is surrounded by high mountains with a breath-taking panorama. The contrast between the historic old town, the fortress and the nearby mountains strongly contribute to the atmosphere and attraction of Kufstein. Thus the city’s nickname is “The Pearl of the Tyrol”. Kufstein and our Fachhochschule Kufstein Tirol - University of Applied Sciences welcomes you for the WinterSchool. 47.58396 / 12.17332 Fachchochschule Kufstein Tirol, Austria
Privacy Statement
By registering, you provide the organizing team of the WinterSchool @FH Kufstein Tirol with personal information, such as your name and email address, which will be used to confirm your participation, communicate event-related information, and facilitate collaboration & networking. Please be aware that the registered participants will receive a list containing the names and email addresses of other participants to encourage the collaboration within the project groups. We will store your data on secure servers with restricted access for a period of one year, after which it will be deleted. We take rigorous measures to protect your data, but if you wish to attend the event, or if you want to access, correct, or delete your data, please contact the responsible program director for the WinterSchool @FH Kufstein Tirol: Asc. Prof. (FH) Dipl.-Ing Christian Huber