SummerAcademy
– A Dialogue in Europe –
We are #learning4unity
What is the SummerAcademy?
The Summer Academy is an interdisciplinary week that brings together experts from a variety of theoretical and practical fields with young participants from across Europe. This unique event is designed to delve into and explore profound questions that are often overlooked in everyday life, approaching them from a multidisciplinary perspective. The academy provides a space for exchange, creativity, and growth, where ideas are shared and developed within a healthy and respectful environment.
SummerAcademy 2027
The theme for SummerAcademy 2027 will be announced in April 2026 and will be a continuation of the past SummerAcademy topics. Like the previous years, the topic will be chosen by young people for young people. If you are curious about our previous topics:
in 2019 we covered “Decision-making”,
in 2021 we looked at “Leadership between Trust and Responsibility”,
in 2023 our topic was “Dealing with Uncertainty”
in 2025 we were “Exploring Polarities.”
Learning4Unity
The driving motive of the SummerAcademy is “Learning4Unity”, this means to learn and grow from and with each other in an open and familiar atmosphere on an equal footing. The participants will be encouraged to help shape society in an opinionated and responsible way and to change it positively, especially in times of increasing polarities and crisis.
A dialogue in Europe
Alone we move fast but not far, making dialogue in Europe essential. The SummerAcademy is committed to involving young people in an intercultural European dialogue to tackle future challenges. Participants engage in meaningful discussions, share experiences, and deepen their understanding of the diverse perspectives shaping European society. These dialogues aim to foster a strong sense of common purpose and solidarity among young Europeans.
How was it founded?
In 2015 the idea of the SummerAcademy emerged from conversations with young adults. They wanted a genuine dialogue with experienced professionals, who in turn felt the need to understand their hopes and the related challenges.
The ensuing academic conference in 2017 was a good start, but not entirely in line with the original idea of an intergenerational exchange; so we took a step back, looking for a more fitting form of meeting, which we found in the SummerAcademy.
The fundamental question to address was who would be involved. The core team quickly came together: 3 young adults in charge supported by a couple of “professionals”. The focus was on integral, mutual, interdisciplinary learning that enabled dialogues between students and lecturers, seeking, finding and sharing knowledge and wisdom within a material and intellectual community of resources.
The programme got off to a successful start in 2019 with the topic: ‘Yes, No, Maybe’, followed by ‘Leadership between Trust and Responsibility’ in 2021 and the first European SummerAcademy in 2023: ‘Dealing with Uncertainty’.
The 4th SummerAcademy is currently in the starting blocks, with the theme ‘Exploring Polarities’.
Our learning methodology: The 6 types of dialogues
The SummerAcademy puts dialogue in the center of the learning journey. We believe, that by approaching a topic through the 6 dialogue forms, students are able to learn better and deeper. Answers that emerge are more meaningful and create connections across nationalities, languages and cultures.
Input
Listening to a given input you might start rethinking your own thoughts. This is where the inner dialogue takes place.
Small Group
Small group offer a room for trust and careful communication. By training your abilities of sharing personal experiences, you also work on dialogue competences.
Panel-Discussion
Usually we discuss for the purpose of gathering argument. The art of discussion, then, is not just to repeat but, develop your argumentation by listening to others.
One-To-One
The most intimate setting for real dialogue always was and will be a talk among two. Either friends or couples, collegues or family member might be common dialogue partners.
Workshop
Experiencing the possibility and limits by doing arts or handicraft opens a new space of self awareness. This might increase your ability to enter a dialogue with other.
Self Reflection
After listening to input, discussion or debate, it might be useful to rest for a while and let your self calm down. Then you might become aware of a new facette in the mirror.
Would you like to be part of it?
- Are you between 18 and 30 years old?
- Do you speak English?
- Do you like to learn and meet new people?
- Do you want to learn to explore the polarities of this world?
If yes, then join us!
Organizer: Focolare Movement
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What preparing the SummerAcademy looks like
During 2 years, a diverse team of young people from across Europe work together to create an unforgettable learning experience. As a preparatory team, we grow together and make friends across borders. We think about how we can help and teach young people important life skills that need to be experienced, to be learned.
SummerAcademy 2025: Exploring Polarities
The SummerAcademy 2025, held in Mariënkroon, Netherlands from August 10–17, brought together young adults and expert lecturers from over ten countries for a unique interdisciplinary journey centered on “Exploring Polarities”. With ten lecturers from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds, representing Eastern and Western Europe as well as Asia, the SummerAcademy fostered deep exchanges that bridged personal, theoretical, and cultural divides.
Sonja Unglert 
Sonja talks about her favorite SummerAcademy moments.
Ana Filipan 
Ana shares what she enjoyed and learned in the last Summer Academy.
SummerAcademy 2023: Dealing with Uncertainty – A Dialogue in Europe
For a week, around thirty people from all over Europe, accompagned by 11 teachers, attended the SummerAcademy in Planina, Slovenia.
They shared their uncertainties and encouraged each other to build a fairer society. The workshops, both theoretical and practical, provided an opportunity to explore the various themes in greater depth in small groups. The day’s visit to Ljubljana, which included a tour of the parliament, the bishops’ commission, and the library, made the discussions on politics, culture and inter-religiosity even more concrete. “The SummerAcademy succeeded in bringing together professors from all horizons to cover an inexhaustible theme: uncertainty. What I take away from this week is the fraternal atmosphere that encourages me to work with others to find solutions for a common future”, says Alice Varone (21).
SummerAcademy 2021: Leadership
Antonia Deister (19)
Leadership in games
Playing games, leading games well, experiencing the often underestimated value of playing games. We had a super time, a plenty of fun and take home a lot of inspiration.
Victor Locher 
Leadership in music
The future of the world can only be interdisciplinary, intergenerationaland collaborative and collectively; the SummerAcademy can be a model for this.
Aline Züger (25)
Leadership in economy
The workshop opened my eyes to a lot of interpersonal and economic tensions. I became aware my priorities have their price – and are my responsibility.