Past

The Center welcomed 25 participants from 19 countries in Rheinau, Switzerland to the 10th World Food System Summer School. The program explored how to build sustainable food systems in times of rapid change. Participants become part of a community of motivated and like-minded students, researchers and practitioners from around the world.

The WFS Summer School in 2021 brought together 22 participants representing 12 nationalities and 17 disciplines in the small village of Rheinau in Switzerland. The students arrived as strangers, yet were united by their common interest in food systems and motivation to be a part of creating positive change. Read more in WFSC News

The WFS Summer School 2017 was hosted at the Sustainability Institute in Lynedoch Ecovillage, near Stellenbosch, South Africa. Over the course of two intense weeks (24 June- 08 July) of discovery and innovation, 25 students and young professionals from 17 different countries explored food systems in transition. The students’ explorations followed the food value chain, interacting with key stakeholders and experts at each step of the way. Read more in WFSC News

The WFS Summer School 2016 took place from 07-21 August, again at the Gut Rheinau organic farm in Switzerland. The program introduced 23 students from 17 countries to ways in which a systems perspective can help one to understand the complexities of the world food system. The participants learned about many aspects of food systems with a focus on organic agriculture and food systems; the course took place in a range of settings, from a historic classroom at Gut Rheinau to the farm fields.

The WFS Summer School in 2015 took place from 1-15 August at 'Gut Rheinau', Switzerland's largest organic farm. The program again focused on food system outcomes in relation to the broader question of how to feed the world. With 24 participants from 17 countries and 21 institutions, there were lively discussions reflecting the group's diverse perspectives.  The curriculum covered topics including health and nutrition, consumption, distribution and retail, trade, governance and political aspects as well as sustainable agricultural production. There was a special focus on organic production systems, agroecology and environmental boundary conditions.

The third WFS Summer School was held again at 'Gut Rheinau' in Switzerland from 9-23 August 2014. The two week course focused on the question question of how to feed the world, while considering all food system outcomes. The program brought together 24 students from 16 countries.

The WFS Summer School was also external page highlighted by ETH Global and external page FiBL (in German).

For the 2^nd World Food System Summer School from 2-16 February 2014, the ETH World Food System Center traveled through to India with a group of 19 students from around the world. The two week course focused on questions such as how India will feed its growing population, in the face of challenges of poverty and environmental change? And, what could be the the role and potential of organic production systems to contribute to food security? The program included one week in rural Kodagu (Coorg), in the Western Ghats and one week in Bangalore, a growing metropolis that is attracting many young people away from rural, agricultural areas. Against this backdrop, the students worked in groups to consider the impacts of the recently enacted Indian Food Security Act.

Read a post about the program on the ETH Sustainability Blog.

external page View pictures from the program’s entrepreneurs exchange, co-organized with swissnex India.

The World Food System Center's first summer school took place from 11-25 August 2013 at the 'Gut Rheinau,' Switzerland's largest organic farm. The two week course focused on the question of how to feed the world, while considering human health, the environment and social wellbeing is one of the defining challenges of our time. The program brought together 24 students from 15 countries.

Read about the program in the news Download Schaffhauser Nachrichten (PDF, 354 KB), in German.