From City to Countryside, From Laboratory to Practice: Palacký University Hosts Dual BIP on Sustainability

At the end of November 2025, Palacký University Olomouc hosted two Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs): Cultivating Futures and From the City to the Country. Participants from across Aurora took part in a week of lectures, workshops, and field activities. These focused on sustainability, urban resilience, and cultural heritage.

The programme was coordinated by the Faculty of Arts with support from the Faculties of Science and Law and CATRIN. It was led academically by Assoc. Prof. Pavlína Flajšarová, and organised by Marie Sieberová.

The week began with sessions on natural resource management, circular economy, and biotechnology, followed by a field visit to the Molitor House and the Cathedral District. Subsequent days covered urban archaeology, urban heat islands, and nanotechnologies, along with structured spaces for sharing research and building international cooperation.

Then, a full-day excursion to the Lavender Farm in Bozděchov and Úsov Castle placed environmental topics in cultural and historical context. Additional workshops addressed plant physiology, examples of green urban development, and environmental law.

Throughout the programme, students engaged in training for the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, aimed at improving skills in communicating scientific research clearly and concisely.

The week concluded with the 3MT final. Under the guidance of Suzanne Whitby and Prof. Toby Wikström, students presented their projects to a jury.

Winners:

• 1st place: Grigor Vrhovac (Universität Innsbruck)
• 2nd place: Livia Hökl (Universität Innsbruck)
• 3rd place: Julia Kianzad (University of Duisburg-Essen)
• Audience Award: Xin Chen (University of Iceland).

After the competition, a closing lunch provided space for informal exchange and reflection. The event demonstrated the value of interdisciplinary learning and cooperation across Aurora institutions.