Framing Livestock and Agriculture Innovation, Resilience and Sustainability (FLAIRS) ~ UNIPI

Language: English

Period: 22 – 26 June 2026

Application Deadline: 15 March 2026

Program Intensity: Full-time

ECTS: 3

Tuition fees: 500€

The international School on “Framing Livestock and Agriculture Innovation, Resilience and Sustainability (FLAIRS)” will provide theoretical and practical training on the definition, framing, and dissection of the environmental and economic sustainability (with some hints on the social aspects) in agri-livestock systems and its value chain, with particular emphasis on the integration of plant and animal production with natural environments, and their interaction with the needs of the human societies. The program will combine lectures, case studies, and interactive activities to foster interdisciplinary knowledge, addressing environmental, economic, technical, and regulatory aspects.

Topics in the school include:

General aspects of sustainability: definitions, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and the role of energy transition in agri-food systems.
Crop production sustainability: technical principles from the cradle to the farm gate.
Livestock sustainability: sustainable rearing systems and feeding strategies, manure management and environmental impact at farm and territorial level, aquaculture impacts and sustainability strategies , sustainability in small terrestrial animals (including insects).
Integration of production and nature: coexistence of anthropic systems and natural environments, land sharing vs. land sparing, and mutualistic interactions.
Economic and legal perspectives: accountability, economic valuation and ecosystem services, agri-food and environmental legislation, and restoration law, and hints on social aspects.

The Summer School will feature theoretical and practical lessons, or seminars, encouraging participants to apply the knowledge acquired to real-world case studies.

Participants will gain an interdisciplinary understanding of sustainability challenges and solutions in agri-livestock systems, and their value chain, developing skills to evaluate production processes, balance environmental and economic trade-offs, and contribute to sustainable innovation in agriculture, animal farming, and their interaction with ecosystems.

The Summer School is supported by international projects and collaborations: OSCAR, SHARInG-MeD (PRIMA GA n 2211), and SUS-SOIL (HORIZON EUROPE GA n 101157560), and aims to create a dynamic environment for students, young researchers, professionals, and stakeholders engaged in the transition towards more sustainable and resilient agri-food systems.

The Summer School will be activated with at least 20 students. The maximum number of participants is set to 50 students.

The Summer School will be held on campus, in Pisa, at Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, viale delle Piagge, 2.

Aim

Aim of the FLAIRS Summer School is to provide participants with interdisciplinary knowledge and practical tools to understand, assess, and improve the sustainability of agri-livestock systems, integrating environmental, economic, technical, and legal perspectives while fostering innovation and resilience in the interaction between human activities and natural ecosystems.

Who can apply

The Summer School is primarily aimed to Master of science students, Master of science, PhD students, Ph.D, professionals in the topics of the school.

Application

Admission Requirements

Bachelor’s degree

Required Documents

Identity Document (*PASSPORT in case you are a foreign student*)
Enrolment Form
Curriculum Vitae

All the documents must be in pdf format, in order to upload them on the portal when required.

Application has to be submitted via Alice portal following the instructions of the “How to apply” page.

Fees

Tuition fees: 500€

Pay fees by Debit/Credit Card or PayPal online using the following Payment Form.

Notice:

International students without Italian Tax Code: please tick the box ‘Anonymous’ in order to disable the field ‘Italian personal ID/VAT number’.
Please type your NAME and SURNAME next to the pre-filled text of the field ‘Reason’
Please pay only after receiving the admission letter

Refund policy

The refund of tuition fees already paid is allowed in case of health issues or failure to obtain a visa.

Each request must be accompanied by relevant document, which will be evaluated by the managing commission.

Any refund request received after 19 June 2025 will be rejected, unless it is due to documented health reasons.

Contacts

Coordinator
Prof. Sergio Saia sergio.saia@unipi.it

Website https://linktr.ee/sharingmed

Summer/Winter School Office support.summerschool@unipi.it

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Framing Livestock and Agriculture Innovation, Resilience and Sustainability (FLAIRS)

Admission Requirements

Required Documents

Contacts