The programme will be focused on gaining awareness and competencies about food issues and transition in agriculture and rural areas through the framework of innovation theories; the goal is to give students promising tools to design future pathways related to food issues and rural development, able to meet medium and long-term societal and consumer demands. The Summer School would provide students engaged with agricultural and rural studies an immersive experience on the Tuscan territory, through which tackling directly the issues of food and innovation for transition in rural areas, development and sustainability and experimenting/learning the work of research. Tuscany is worldwide well know for food and rural development and will offer to students the right landscape for a comprehensive study and research experience. Hence, fieldwork and building the case study research focused on food and innovation in rural transition will represent the main body of the programme; in order to fit this goal, students will be introduced to theoretical background and appropriate methodology in order to let them explore the field with the right tools. A special focus will be given to visual methods %E2%80" photography and video %E2%80" as means for investigation, documentation and reporting.PlaceThe location of the case study is Sillico village, which is located in the northern part of Tuscany (province of Lucca, 85 km from Pisa), called Garfagnana. This small village has medieval origins and is situated in the mountains, at 700 meters above the sea level. Even if it counts only about 90 inhabitants.

Course leader
Prof. Francesco Di Iacovo francesco.diiacovo@unipi.it

Target group
EU and Non-EU students (University degree or Bachelor degree, Master degree) as well as PhD students. For students who want to specialize in European Rural Development and to live a practical experience

Course aim
Expected competenciesRural transition, food issues and the design of innovative pathways of change are highly demanding in terms of competences (knowledge, attitudes and capability). The Summer School aims at provide students with theoretical knowledge, methodological tools and direct comprehension in order to better face local processes of rural transition and food issues. More and more rural sustainable development processes and issues related to food ask to better understand and mobilize local resources and to integrate according with innovative patterns, social, economic and environmental dimensions at the local level. The Summer School will establish new connections and strategically visions in order to promote transition in rural areas through innovative pathways of change.

Fee info
EUR 1000: Course Organization4 weeks residential of intensive course in a Tuscany rural village (from Monday to Friday):2 weeks of theoretical and methodological background 2 weeks of field works - collecting, elaborating and reporting dataOverall load of 250 hours of activities (lectures, workshops and field trips) corresponding to 10 ECTS

Scholarships
no

University of Pisa
Address: Internationalization, Lungarno Pacinotti 43- Pisa
Postal code: 56126
City: Pisa
Country: Italy
Website: http://www.unipi.it/index.php/students/itemlist/category/479-summer-schools
E-mail: support.summerschool@adm.unipi.it
Phone: 0039- +39 050 2212272