2017 Danube:Future Interdisciplinary School - Cultural an social implications of global change on the Danube River Basin

Global change refers to the human imprint on earth and takes into account how alterations of the biogeochemical cycles affect people. In a societal context, social, cultural, technological, political, economic and legal changes are involved. Despite the recognition of the complex interactions and far- reaching consequences, global change research and education focus largely on natural, environmental and economic aspects. The social sciences and especially the humanities are less involved in related activities. In particular long-term studies of past society-nature interactions and natural resources use can contribute valuable knowledge to tackle the adverse effects of climate change or globalization and to foster sustainable development. To reinforce the integration of the social sciences and humanities (SSH) into other scientific domains Horizon2020 has determined the SSH as a horizontal subject to be considered in all Grand Challenges. The Danube macro-region is a specifically challenging region of Europe. Interdisciplinary approaches of SSH can integrate natural, cultural and ethnic heritage and their hybrid forms as well as local traditions and knowledge. This project is the follow up of the project DIANet International School, held in Gorizia (Italy) from 2013 to 2015, where 94 PhD students and Post-docs from 12 countries participated. In particular, the following CEI countries, both EU and non-EU, were represented: Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia. The proposed summer school aims at tackling the pressing challenges of the Danube River Basin by linking perspectives of SSH to environmental aspects of global change. The envisaged summer school can support establishing an interdisciplinary network of young scholars and add to the preparation and workability of Horizon 2020. 28 PhD-students and/or post-doc research fellows from AARC and DRC universities, two for each of the 14 (CEI) countries of the network can participate. A call for participants will be published in spring 2017 and they will be selected on the basis of their research experience and on the potential to contribute to the sustainable development of the DRB. The organizing universities issue a certificate of 3 ECTS. During two lecture days, students will discuss case studies, present and discuss selected topics from different perspectives. One full-day excursion to Göttweig Abbey will offer a unique opportunity to engage with the challenges of the Macro-Region. In four working groups, each of them representing a variety of disciplines and countries as well as PhD-students and young post-doc researchers, scholars will identify a common idea for a future project, which addresses one of the societal challenges of Horizon 2020 and takes into account the challenges of the DRB. Draft project proposals should represent a part of an application to a funding authority. Group presentations with direct feedback by an evaluation committee will end the experience. The school is organized by: a Leader (responsible for the school edition), an Organizing Committee (leader and two other professors of the Danube:Future core partners; the list of teachers is defined by the Organizing Committee including teachers from the partner universitites as well as non-academic experts), a Facilitator, a Coordinator (general administration of the project) and a Tutor who follows and support s teachers and participants during the activities.