September 20 @ 8:00 am – September 25 @ 5:00 pm
The Blended Intensive Programme ChallengeEU: Regional Promotion and Development is based on the principles of regenerative design, which views space, resources, and local ecosystems as interconnected elements of a single system. Participants will work on design challenges rooted in the local context, analysing social, environmental, and spatial relationships while developing solutions that address current needs and strengthen resilience and quality of life in the long term.
The programme will be carried out in collaboration with representatives of the local socio-economic environment who, as stakeholders in the educational process, will contribute practical perspectives, local knowledge, and insights into the region’s real development needs. These partners include Kwaśne Jabłko Cidery, Farm and Agritourism Centre in Włodowo, together with cooperating local producers.
The programme will be complemented by a documentation and communication component. Participants will document fieldwork, workshops, research activities, and project outcomes using various forms of media. As a result, the achievements of the course will not only be developed within the academic environment but will also be communicated to a broader audience as a tool for promoting the region both locally and internationally. This documentation will therefore serve a promotional function, presenting the region as a place of collaboration, local resources, innovation, and community-driven initiatives embedded in an authentic social and environmental context.
Design Challenge
How can we design solutions that strengthen the development of local communities by creating interconnected and collaborative ecosystems?
Objective
The aim of the course is to develop participants’ design, research, and communication skills in the field of sustainable development and regional promotion. Sustainability is understood not merely as reducing negative impacts, but as creating solutions that support environmental regeneration, empower local communities, and rebuild the relationship between people and place.
Dates
- On-site component: 20–25 September 2026
- Online component: 14 and 28 September 2026
Organisers
Faculty of Humanities
University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn
Obitza 1 Street, Olsztyn, Poland
Recruitment
20 June – 15 July 2026
>>> Complete the application form
Programme Format
- Virtual component: 14 and 28 September 2026
Introduction to the programme themes, the local context, core methodologies and tools, as well as learning within the blended learning and Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) framework. - On-site component: 20–25 September 2026
Field research, design workshops, teamwork, stakeholder consultations, prototyping, process documentation, and presentation of project outcomes.
Target Group
Undergraduate, graduate, and long-cycle Master’s students representing a wide range of academic disciplines.
Final Outcome
The course will result in design concepts addressing local challenges and demonstrating how regenerative design can support place-based development, strengthen communities, and encourage a more responsible use of resources.
Throughout the programme, participants will also produce documentation and communication materials alongside their design work. These materials will capture not only the final outcomes, but also the development process, participant experiences, and collaborative activities, while contributing to the promotion of both the region and the principles of regenerative approaches to designing solutions for local communities.
