Summer School 2016


For Young Scientists in Basel: June 26-July 2, 2016

The Summer School that precedes the annual Academia Engelberg conference joined students from twelve different countries to discuss this year’s conference topic “At the Limit”. During the Summer School, participants has been prepared to actively and creatively participate in the annual conference.

They will shape part of that conference in October 2016 by adding fresh perspectives deriving from topics that are investigated and prepared in the Summer School.

The Summer School has introduced participants to the theme of limits, boundaries, and interfaces in a variety of areas that are important for the knowledge-based societies of today.

Participants had the opportunity to study and critically evaluate pertinent topics related to this general theme. These topics include boundaries of our cognitive faculties, the rise of machine intelligence and its impact, the nature of peak experiences, a better understanding of the present as the boundary between past and future, theories of interfaces between social agents, and the limits of economic growth.

At the Summer School, each participant has presented one topical issue which has been discussed in view of its transdisciplinary relevance for current developments in society today.

Around 30 young scientists expressed interest in attending this year’s Summer School of Academia Engelberg. 16 of them has been diving into the world of scientific boundaries. Participants from Australia, China, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, India, Iran , Kenya , Sweden , Taiwan, Ukraine and Switzerland attended, under the direction of Prof. Dr. Harald Atmanspacher, member of the Collegium Helveticum.

A special thank to the partner, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, and the Host in Basel, Helvetia Insurance.

Donators and Partners

The ETH Board is responsible for the strategic leadership of the ETH domain and assumes the supervision of its institutions. Its close relationship with the ETH Council has contributed to the successful continuation of Academia Engelberg Foundation since 2000.

The Foundation promotes research into the connecting human fundamentals of science. Academia Engelberg Foundation and the Foundation for Basic Research in Human Sciences have entered into a cooperation agreement for the period 2011 to 2015.

Helvetia is a quality-oriented comprehensive insurance company with over 150 years of experience. Academia Engelberg Foundation is convinced it will be able to use important synergies from the partnership starting in 2015.

A partnership with the University of Lucerne has existed since summer 2013. Since 2016 we have also a parthership with the Faculty of Economics and Management of the University of Lucerne. Through these partnerships, synergies are used and joint projects are tested and realized. The University of Lucerne currently consists of three faculties: the faculties for Theology, Culture and Social Sciences, and Law.

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