Dates: 23 June – 6 July, 2024
Cities: Ghent (Belgium) & Rennes (France)
The Inclusive Mobility Summer School, set against the vibrant backdrop of Belgium and France, offers a unique blend of academic excellence and practical insights for EIT Urban Mobility students and external participants. This highly anticipated programme will unfold at Ghent University and the University of Rennes from 23 June to 6 July.
The Summer School is more than just a learning experience; it’s a journey into the world of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E). With a focus on inter-modal mobility, participants will delve into the challenges of inclusion, exploring ways to enhance physical accessibility, affordability, and information access. The first week at UGent is dedicated to understanding mobility inclusivity, guided by planning agencies, academic experts, industry partners, and the perspectives of vulnerable end users. The second week at UNIVREN is all about turning insights into action. Students will engage in designing business models, emphasizing market and segment analysis, financial forecasting, transport technology, and intellectual property issues. The programme does not just stop at academics. Participants will also enjoy a weekend filled with cultural exploration on 29-30 June, visiting the historic city of Saint-Malo and the iconic Mont Saint-Michel.
Preliminary programme
Embark on a transformative journey with the Inclusive Mobility Summer School. This bi-national programme, rooted in the collaborative strength of the French and Belgian ecosystems, is designed to integrate technical expertise with a social consciousness. Participants will be uniquely positioned to affect positive change in the mobility of vulnerable populations, offering an exciting opportunity to contribute meaningfully to societal mobility needs and equity goals.
The Summer School aims to empower participants with the necessary skills to develop socially-impactful mobility solutions. Through a blend of hands-on projects and collaborative teamwork, the programme emphasizes understanding the mobility challenges faced by vulnerable groups and creating innovative solutions to address these issues.
Week 1 – From Challenges to User-Centric Solutions
The first week is an intensive journey from understanding broad mobility challenges to focusing on specific, user-centric problems. Participants will engage in team-building activities to foster an entrepreneurial spirit, followed by a series of design thinking workshops. These sessions are designed to encourage a broad understanding of the issues, followed by a focused approach to identify and develop innovative solutions. Industry experts and end-users will provide valuable insights and feedback, ensuring that the ideas are grounded and viable.
Week 2 – From Solutions to Integral Business Proposals
In the second week, the focus shifts to transforming solutions into actionable business proposals. Participants will delve into the fundamentals of business and start-up finance, ensuring a solid foundation for their ideas. Comprehensive market and segment analysis will be conducted to tailor solutions to specific needs, incorporating ethical, societal, and sustainability considerations into the business models. The week culminates with pitch coaching sessions, guiding participants on how to effectively communicate their business ideas, and preparing them for the final presentation of their comprehensive business proposals.
The Inclusive Mobility Summer School is more than an educational programme; it is a platform for real-world impact. By the conclusion of the two-week period, participants will have evolved from learners to innovators, equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to drive meaningful change in the realm of urban mobility.
