T4EU week

This course will provide students with tools to address the pressing need for climate change mitigation in the construction ecosystem following the New European Bauhaus (NEB) paradigm. The urgency of the climate crisis requires that new cross-cutting solutions for sustainable built environments are developed and implemented. The NEB can be an instrumental source of comprehensive architectural, technological, rural, urban, and social transformation needed to frame and apply sustainable construction solutions. In this course New European Bauhaus (NEB) principles will be shared and placed in context application across domains. The student will learn how to apply all three values and working principles of the NEB Compass in a building design and learn of innovative approaches in building design.

The course will consist of 4 modules (»minicourses«):

1. New European Bauhaus Compass, its values and working principles
2. Engineered living materials for architecture
3. Restorative environmental and ergonomic design
4. Comfort of the users through acoustics

Each of the modules consists of lectures, practical cases, discussions and exercises. Furthermore, students will work in groups and through mentored research learn about the best practices in sustainable buildings.

• MAX. PARTICIPANTS: 20
• SUITABLE FOR: BSC, MSC and PhD students of material science, architecture, and civil engineering
• CONTACT: andreja.kutnar@upr.si

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The course covers the main topics in the frame of the UNESCO Chair of Interpretation and Education for Enhancing Integrated Heritage Approaches at the University of Primorska. The course aims to raise the understanding and importance of heritage interpretation and the transfer of knowledge about heritage into education. Heritage is present in all societies and is often one of the main elements in programmes for economic development and sustainability, mainly in tourism. However, besides these attractive potential uses of heritage, we have to maintain the work on its protection and conservation. Part of this process includes its presentation and education to ensure a better understanding of heritage values, thus creating the basis for its protection. Interpretation of heritage is an integral part of heritage presentation and education. Participants will learn about the basics of heritage interpretation; through lectures and fieldwork, they will learn and understand what processes take place in the process of heritage interpretation; they will gain knowledge about interpretation infrastructure and how to use and design specific didactic tools. At the end of the course, participants will have the knowledge and skills to recognize the values, prepare the interpretation plan for a particular heritage of their choice, and prepare a concept plan for at least one didactic tool.

The course will consist of 4 modules (»minicourses«):

1. Introduction to heritage interpretation.
2. Fieldwork and out-of-class lectures.
3. Heritage interpretation in education.
4. Postvention activities – independent work, supervision, and presentation of results.

Each of the modules consists of lectures, practical cases, discussions, and exercises. Furthermore, students will work in groups and through mentored research learn about the best practices in heritage interpretation.

• MAX. PARTICIPANTS: 20
• SUITABLE FOR: BA and MA students primarily from the humanities, arts and social sciences fields, but we also welcome all other interested students
• CONTACT: irena.lazar@fhs.upr.si

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»Exploring methods for multicultural social science research in the contemporary era« is a comprehensive one-week summer school that offers an in-depth exploration of essential research methods in today’s culturally diverse and globally interconnected world. The summer school is aimed at students from a range of social science disciplines and covers both quantitative and qualitative methods, statistical analyses, cross-cultural competencies and ethical considerations in research. Within these five topics, led by experts in their respective fields, various aspects of research methodology will be addressed to equip students with the practical skills and knowledge required to conduct research in the modern global era, and to develop ethically informed and culturally sensitive researchers ready to engage with the complex issues of our time.

Within the course, students will be introduced to five topic areas, each designed to deepen their understanding and skills in different aspects of research.

The topic areas are:

• Mastering quantitative research
• Exploring qualitative research
• Statistical analysis: basic
• Cross-cultural research
• Ethical considerations in research

• MAX. PARTICIPANTS: 20
• SUITABLE FOR: BSC, MSC and PhD students from various social science disciplines
• CONTACT: sabina.licen@fvz.upr.si

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Environmental genomics is an exciting and rapidly evolving field that combines the principles of genomics, ecology, and molecular biology to study the genomes of organisms in their natural environments, through the analysis of the nucleotide sequence of genes, genomes, metagenomes, transcriptomes and metatranscriptomes. It provides a powerful tool to understand the diversity, functions, and interactions between organisms, which play a crucial role in maintaining the health and stability of ecosystems. Environmental genomics, when integrated with other biodiversity monitoring methods like camera traps and remote sensing, offers a comprehensive insight into various aspects of both present-day and fossilized organisms. This approach not only sheds light on the taxonomy and diversity of organisms, but also provides valuable information about their phylogeny, evolutionary history, and potential for adaptation. Moreover, it helps us understand their functional traits and interactions with the environment. This holistic understanding is crucial in today’s context, especially as we face the challenges posed by climate change.

This course will introduce students to the fundamental concepts and techniques of environmental genomics and explore its applications in various areas of research.

The course will consist of 4 modules:

• Introduction to Environmental Genomics
• Foundations of Genomics and different genetic monitoring approaches
• Sampling, extraction, and processing of DNA
• Data Analysis

• MAX. PARTICIPANTS: 20
• SUITABLE FOR: MSC and PhD students of biology, environmental sciences, and bioinformaticss
• CONTACT: elena.buzan@famnit.upr.si

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The aim of this course is first to introduce the most commonly studied form of symmetry in graphs, namely that of vertex-transitive graphs, and then to study combining vertex-transitivity with other kinds of symmetry, such as arc-transitivity and edge-transitivity. Vertex-transitive graphs can be described as graphs in which no two vertices can be differentiated from each other, and similarly for other kinds of symmetry. Vertex-transitive graphs are not only interesting mathematically, but are often used as ‘uniform’ models, particularly in theoretical computer science. Additionally, they are a frequent class of graphs used to try to understand difficult problems, not necessarily related to symmetry. The course will start at the beginning, and will also cover any necessary permutation group theory. A particular aim will be to prove some celebrated work of W.T. Tutte on s-arc-transitive graphs, with some applications of those results.

• MAX. PARTICIPANTS: 50
• SUITABLE FOR: BSC, MSC and PhD Students of mathematics and computer science
• CONTACT: ted.dobson@upr.si

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The aim of the course is to raise the understanding of suicide and suicidal behaviour. Suicide is one of the biggest public health issues that is present all over the world. It is estimated that around 700.000 people die by suicide, while leaving many (on average six) bereaved with severe negative consequences. Despite scientific developments in recent years, there are still several areas of suicidology that needs further studies. Namely, suicide preventive programmes still have difficulties to prove efectiveness if only done on a small scale and suicide assessment and prediction are still not reliable enough. Therefore we need to invest in new (technology based) interventions and assessment, to address these. Also, risk and protective factors are changing through the changes in the societies and the world and this needs continous scientific and professional attention.

The course will consist of 4 modules (»minicourses«):

• Phenomenom of sucidal behaviour
• Assessment and risk and protective factors
• Crisis interventions and prevention
• Postvention activities

Each of the modules consists of lectures, practical cases, discussions and exercises. Furthermore, students will work in groups and through mentored research learn about the best practices in suicidology.

• MAX. PARTICIPANTS: 20
• SUITABLE FOR: BSC, MSC and PhD Students of psychology, public health, medicine, social work
• CONTACT: vita.postuvan@upr.si

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In the contemporary landscape, consumers are equipped with internet-connected devices wherever they go. Gone are the days of relying solely on TV ads, billboards, or salespeople for guidance on the best products and services. Digital consumers now prefer conducting their own research online, delving into a plethora of product information, comparisons, reviews, and free trials available on the internet.

Before making purchasing decisions, today’s consumers invest significant time in exploring various product categories, brands, and services. The entire process of researching or casually browsing before buying should be seamless, devoid of obstacles. Consumers anticipate high-quality offerings at affordable prices, and the power of a genuine recommendation from fellow consumers is unmatched in successful marketing.

With technology and social media, consumers can easily share their honest opinions and experiences, reaching a broad audience. Emotions play a pivotal role in a buyer’s decision-making process, whether positive or negative, increasingly influencing purchases. Marketers must integrate emotional connections with consumers into their advertising campaigns and website design to resonate effectively.

Online shopping has become the predominant purchasing channel globally, and as the urgency to address climate change grows, consumer habits are spotlighting environmental concerns. Digital consumers, constantly connected through various devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and personal computers, are better informed than previous generations. They leverage the latest technologies daily to stay updated on products, services, prices, and competition.

The course will consist of 5 modules (»minicourses«):

• Consumers behaviour in digital society;
• Selling to digital consumer;
• Digital marketing;
• The power of storytelling in marketing;
• Digitalization and internationalization of new ventures: Learning from born globals.

Each of the modules consists of lectures, practical cases, discussions and exercises. Furthermore, students will work in groups and through mentored research learn about the best practices in the field.

• MAX. PARTICIPANTS: 20
• SUITABLE FOR: BSC Students
• CONTACT: tina.vukasovic@upr.si 

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Students will be involved in solving real-world challenges through a structured three-step approach that includes online preparation, live sessions at the University of Primorska, Slovenia, and completion of the final project.

The interactive course combines research, practical problem solving and international collaboration and is tailored for students who want to make a tangible impact on local and global challenges.

Students may propose their own challenges or select them from a list provided by industry challengers. The challenges can be digital, analog, technological, non-technological, business-oriented, community-oriented or environment-oriented.

The course builds on the experience of the innovative approach of the UP FTS sTOUdio Turistica 2019-2023 pilot project in the field of tourism education and development (more info: SLO/ENG). The UP FTS sTOUdio Turistica project built a bridge between science, industry and the challenges of real life. It was recognized for its impact and creativity as one of the 13 selected projects funded in the Google.org Impact Challenge (2021) among more than 800 applicants in Central and Eastern Europe.

• MAX. PARTICIPANTS: no limit
• SUITABLE FOR: Tourism and Hospitality – studying tourism management, hospitality, or related fields, seeking practical, real-world experience in area of study (BSC, MSC, PhD).
• CONTACT: dejan.krizaj@fts.upr.si

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