SUMMER SCHOOLS

The BIP brought together students from different academic and cultural backgrounds to explore solution design through innovation, sustainability, and user-centred thinking. Following the principles of design thinking, participants worked in international teams to identify real-world challenges, observe user needs, analyse complex systems, and develop innovative solution concepts. The programme combined introductory online activities with an intensive on-site experience, guiding students through the complete solution design process from problem identification to the final presentation of proposed solutions.

Through lectures, workshops, mentoring sessions, and teamwork activities, students applied observation techniques, brainstorming methods, needfinding approaches, and solution design tools. They explored topics such as sustainable development, waste management, climate challenges, and human-centred design while learning how to transform observations into actionable ideas. Field visits, including a waste management facility and urban waste initiatives in Maribor, provided practical insights that informed the development of their projects.

Throughout the programme, participants collaborated closely with tutors and peers to analyse identified needs, generate and evaluate ideas, develop solution concepts, and refine them into practical proposals. The summer school concluded with team presentations showcasing the outcomes of their work, allowing students to demonstrate their creativity, analytical thinking, teamwork, and communication skills in addressing contemporary societal and environmental challenges.