At the end of August, Trondheim became a place of international exchange, new ideas, and shared perspectives on the future of education. From 24 to 28 August 2026, students and lecturers came together at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) for this year’s International Summer School, with the topic “(Vocational) Education and Teaching for Sustainable Futures.”

Right from the beginning, the group brought together different educational backgrounds and perspectives. After a warm welcome at NTNU, interactive get-to-know activities set the basis for what would become a great community, that felt like we’re all on an adult class trip.

The academic program addressed sustainability from a wide range of angles. Participants engaged with education for sustainable development and degrowth pedagogy, got an overview of “Using AI” or “Replacing Oneself with AI” and explored what students may expect from teachers in an AI-shaped future. Further sessions focused on multilingualism, global citizenship education, and ways to make sustainability meaningful in classrooms and educational institutions.

But the summer school was not confined to lecture rooms. Throughout the week, Trondheim itself became part of the learning experience. A visit to the public library, a lyrical riverwalk along the Nidelva and a Sámi heritage walk through Trondheim gave us lots of opportunities to discover the city from different angles. We even covered sustainable education on a truly universal level at the planetarium in the Trondheim Science Center. The visit to Huseby Primary School and the AC Møller Sign Language Center added a particularly valuable opportunity to learn from educational practice.

We also included an opportunity to test our ambiguity tolerance: a visit to the SalMar Salmon Center offered controversial perspectives on what sustainability truly means. Can an industry that provides jobs in rural areas and food for a lot of people be sustainable, when at the same time is having a huge impact on environment and promotes questionable living conditions of the self-proclaimed king of the fishes: the salmon.

But coming back to the field trip vibe: of course the project organized plenty of room to connect, a welcome dinner at Tyholt Tower, a picnic at Korsvika beach – where some used Trondheims hottest day of the summer (with 24° ^^) to go for a very short and cold swim in the fjord – and simply some space to explore the city. But on top of that the group had some self-organized wonderful experiences: an amazing visit to the sauna, a fun karaoke night and a salsa evening. Some even took the time to get up at 3am to see the lunar eclipse.

Five full days, countless conversations, new international friendships and plenty of inspiration: the Summer School in Trondheim showed how much can happen when people come together to learn with and from one another. We returned home with fresh perspectives, ideas for future projects, and many memories of a truly special week in Norway.

Interested in exploring new perspectives on education, exchanging ideas with students and lecturers from other countries, and experiencing learning beyond the classroom? An international Summer School is a wonderful opportunity to do just that. Keep an eye out for future editions, you might be part of the next round!