Potsdam Summer School 2026 Programme

Programme

We are in the process of preparing for the Potsdam Summer School 2026 and will update the programme accordingly.
Last update January 15, 2026

Day 1 From Multilateralism to an Era of Geopolitics: Key Trends and Conceptual Foundations 28/09/2026

28/09/2026

From Multilateralism to an Era of Geopolitics: Key Trends and Conceptual Foundations

Research Institute for Sustainability at GFZ (RIFS)

09:15 - 09:30

Welcome to the Potsdam Summer School 2026
Prof. Dr. Rainer Quitzow/RIFS

09:30 - 11:00

Onboarding Part I
Dr. Susanne Schmitt

11:00 - 11:30

Coffee Break

11:30 - 12:30

Onboarding Part II
Dr. Susanne Schmitt

12:30 - 14:00

Lunch Break

14:00 - 15:00

Opening Keynote on Sustainability and Geopolitics
Achim Steiner/Oxford Martin School Oxford University (tbc)

15:00 - 16:00

Multilateralism Under Pressure
Prof. Dr. Charlotte Streck/University of Potsdam (requested)

16:00 - 16:30

Coffee Break

16:30 - 17:30

Conceptual Foundations – Geopolitics and Geoeconomics
NN/Economic Security Forum

17:30 - 18:30

Introduction to Working Groups Science Communications
Matthias Tang & Team/RIFS

18:45 - 21:00

Dinner at RIFS Rooftop Terrace

Day 2 Governing the Global Commons in Times of Geopolitical Rivalry 29/09/2026

29/09/2026

Governing the Global Commons in Times of Geopolitical Rivalry

Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI)

09:00 - 10:30

Governance of the Oceans
Dr. Sebastian Unger/Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN)

10:30 - 11:00

Coffee Break

11:00 - 12:30

Arctic Governance
Dr. Volker Rachold/Arctic Office/AWI

12:45 - 14:00

Lunch Break

14:00 - 15:00

The Political Geology and Geopolitics of Arctic Resources
Dr. Marianne Pascale Bartels/RIFS

15:00 - 16:00

Ocean Governance
Dr. Barbara Neumann/RIFS

16:00 - 16:30

Coffee Break

16:30 - 17:30

Just Transition in the Amazon
Dr. Maria Cecilia Oliveira & Dr. Bernardo Jurema/RIFS

18:30 - 20:30

Dinner at RIFS Rooftop Terrace

Day 3 Climate, Agriculture and Geopolitics 30/09/2026

30/09/2026

Climate, Agriculture and Geopolitics

Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB)

09:00 - 10:00

Agriculture and Geopolitics
Prof. Dr. Barbara Sturm/ATB

10:00 - 10:30

Coffee Break

10:30 - 12:00

Geoeconomics of Agricultural Markets
NN/SWP

12:00 - 13:00

Geopolitics of Fertilisers
Prof. Dr. Rainer Quitzow/RIFS

13:00 - 14:00

Lunch Break

14:00 - 15:30

Guided Tour around ATB

15:30 - 16:00

Coffee Break

16:00 - 17:30

World Café Innovations in Agriculture
NN/ATB

17:30 - 22:00

Evening at Own Leisure

Day 4 Geopolitics, Climate Governance and Diplomacy 01/10/2026

01/10/2026

Geopolitics, Climate Governance and Diplomacy

University of Potsdam – Campus Griebnitzsee

09:00 - 10:30

Civil Society and the Future of Climate Diplomacy
NN

10:30 - 11:00

Coffee Break

11:00 - 12:00

Climate Governance, UNFCCC and the Rise of Plurilateral Alliances
Dr. Charlotte Unger/RIFS

12:00 - 13:00

Climate, Energy and the Transformation of the Middle East
NN

13:00 - 14:00

Lunch Break

14:00 - 15:00

Geopolitics of Knowledge, Science and the Climate Crisis
Dr. Hilton Simmet/RIFS (requested)

15:00 - 16:00

Transfer to WIS

16:00 - 18:00

Afternoon with High School Students from Potsdam

18:00 - 22:00

Evening at Own Leisure

Day 5 Geoeconomics of Clean Energy 02/10/2026

02/10/2026

Geoeconomics of Clean Energy

RIFS

09:00 - 10:00

Geoeconomics of the Energy Transition
NN

10:00 - 10:30

Coffee Break

10:30 - 11:30

Geoeconomics and Critical Mineral Supply Chains
NN

11:30 - 12:30

Geoeconomics of Industrial Decarbonization and Hydrogen
Dr. Laima Eicke, Yana Zabanova

12:30 - 13:30

Lunch Break

13:30 - 14:30

Climate, Energy and Security
NN

14:30 - 16:30

Science Communication/Working Group Presentations
Matthias Tang & Team with all Participants

16:30 - 17:30

Wrap Up & Feedback on the Week´s Programme including Flying Coffee Break

19:00 - 22:30

Farewell Dinner

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