Cities around the world are increasingly facing the impacts of climate change. Addressing these challenges requires urban professionals who understand not only technical solutions, but also governance structures, policy processes and social dynamics. The IHS Summer School programme responds to this need by offering a practice oriented learning experience focused on climate resilience in cities.
Studying resilience in Rotterdam
When students arrive in Rotterdam for the IHS Summer School programme, they are not just stepping into a classroom. They are entering a city that has spent decades learning how to live with water, adapt to climate risks and rethink the way urban areas are planned. This setting shapes the way the Summer School is taught and experienced, offering more than an academic introduction to climate resilience. It gives students the space to think, discuss and experience how cities can respond to climate change in practice. For those new to the topic, it provides a strong foundation. For those with some experience, it offers fresh perspectives and tools.
Learning by doing from day one
Climate change looks different depending on where you are in the world. A coastal city faces different challenges than a rapidly growing inland city. Students learn about a wide range of approaches to climate resilience. To reflect this complexity, the programme blends interactive lectures with discussions, workshops, hands-on exercises, and simulation games. Dutch experiences play an important role, but always as a source of inspiration rather than a model to copy.
The Summer School connects theory directly to real-world situations. For example, discussions on flood risk go beyond infrastructure and engineering to include decision-making processes, policy development, and community impacts. This approach reflects the reality of working in cities, where technical solutions are closely tied to social and institutional dynamics.
Seeing climate resilience in action
One of the highlights of the Summer School is learning outside the classroom. Excursions are carefully chosen to help students see how ideas discussed in class take shape in real life. Visits include places such as the Port of Rotterdam and the Delta Works, where climate adaptation measures can be experienced first hand.
Seeing a flood barrier, a water management system or an adaptive urban project in person often changes how students understand it. Listening to professionals explain why certain choices were made brings theory to life in a way that books and slides cannot. The excursion programme is reviewed each year to ensure it remains relevant and engaging.
Growing as a professional
The Summer School is not only about knowledge. It is also about confidence and communication skills. Students come from different academic backgrounds, countries and cultures. Working together means learning how to explain ideas clearly, listen to different viewpoints and present arguments with confidence and facts.
Dr Qian Ke, course coordinator, sees that students leave the programme more comfortable speaking in front of others and more aware of how cultural differences shape discussions. These skills are essential in urban planning and climate work, where collaboration and stakeholder engagement play a central role.
Bringing it all together
Towards the end of the programme, in week 4, students work in groups on a final case study. Each group focuses on a climate related challenge, such as drought or heat stress, in a specific city. The assignment encourages students to look beyond surface level problems and explore why these issues exist in the first place. Students examine policy choices, governance structures and social conditions alongside environmental factors. This helps them understand that climate change is often influenced by human decisions and inequalities. For many participants, this is the moment when the different parts of the Summer School truly come together.
Want to know more about the programme? Read all about it here.
Please note: Applications for the IHS Summer School are now open!
Non EU and EEA students can apply until 1 March 2026.
Students who do not require a visa have until 1 July 2026 to submit their application.
