Summer Schools at the University of Hamburg
| Program name | ECTS credits | Date | Module duration | Target group | Participation fee | Discount | Application deadline | Link to website | Contact | Text |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HISS: Global South Perspectives on AI: Power, Social Justice and Opportunities for an Equitable Future | 6 | 8 September 2025 | 2 weeks + preparation assignment before the start | Graduate and undergraduate Law students | EUR 450 | No participation fee for students from the following universities: University of Hamburg, Universidad de Chile, University of Pretoria | 1 April 2025 | HISS: Global South Perspectives on AI | international-office-law"AT"uni-hamburg.de | As the world increasingly embraces the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI), the need to critically examine its implications through diverse perspectives has never been more urgent. The summer school centers on "Global South Perspectives on AI: Power, Social Justice and Opportunities for an Equitable Future." This program aims to engage German and international law students in a comprehensive exploration of how AI technologies intersect with pressing issues of power dynamics, social justice, and equity—especially through the lens of Global South countries, which face challenges and opportunities of their own in this rapidly evolving field. The relevance of this topic extends far beyond academia; it resonates deeply with contemporary societal concerns regarding inequality, representation, and ethical governance in the digital age. As AI systems increasingly influence decision-making processes across various sectors, including healthcare, education, and criminal justice, it is paramount that future legal professionals comprehend the multifaceted consequences of these technologies. By integrating perspectives from the Global South, we encourage a more inclusive dialogue that aims to identify and address the disparities that affect marginalized communities. This summer school offers a vital opportunity not only for students to broaden their understanding of AI's societal impact but also to contribute to the creation of equitable frameworks that govern technology's integration in a global context. In fostering critical discussions about AI's in shaping social structures and power relations, this program will equip students with the analytical skills necessary to advocate for justice and equity in their future careers. The summer school will contribute not only to the professional development of participants but will also lay the groundwork for a more socially responsible approach to legal practices in an increasingly digitized world. |
| HISS: Particles, Strings and Cosmology | 10 | 14 July 2025 | 2 weeks | Undergraduate (starting from year 3) and graduate students | none | none | 31 May 2025 | HISS – Particles Strings and Cosmology 2025 | elisabetta.gallo@desy.de( elisabetta.gallo"AT"desy.de) |
The Standard Model is a very elegant theory describing elementary particles and their interactions. The course will start with an introduction to the Standard Model and its success in describing results from colliders and non-colliders experiments. However, the SM has still some shortcomings. What is dark matter? Why neutrinos have mass? Why is gravity not included? What is dark energy? Why there is asymmetry between matter and antimatter? How did the Universe evolve and what is the relation to the Higgs boson? Can string theory help to describe quantum gravity? The school will describe modern issues today in particles, strings and cosmology, and link them to the activities at University of Hamburg and DESY. Data analysis today requires heavy use of machine learning and AI in particle physics will be introduced. Visits to on-site experiments will be also organized. The school will take place in person on the DESY campus |
| HISS: Institutions, Behavior and the Law | 12 | 14 July 2025 | 4 weeks | Graduate & PhD Level. Faculty: Law, Economics and Social Sciences | EUR 120 | One can book each course (1 week) seperately. Costs per course are EUR 40. | 31 March 2025 | HISS: Institutions, Behavior and the Law | betuel.simsek@uni-hamburg.de ( betuel.simsek"AT"uni-hamburg.de) |
The summer school “Institutions, Behavior and the Law” examines the interactions between institutional change and socio-economic norms of behavior in a society and their impact on legal issues. The aim is to examine the dynamic interactions between these areas and to create a deeper understanding of their mutual influences and interactions. This interdisciplinary summer school offers a unique opportunity to analyze complex societal processes and their impact on legal systems. The open approach of the summer school allows participants not only to identify current challenges and innovative perspectives, but also to actively participate in the design of new solutions. |
| HISS: Challenges of Synthetic Biology: From theory to praxis | 10 | 28 July 2025 | 2 weeks | Undergraduate students with a MINT background | EUR 500 (tbc) | none | 30 April 2025 | HISS: Challenges of Synthetic Biology: From theory to praxis | michael.kolbe@desy.de( michael.kolbe"AT"desy.de) |
The aim for the Summer School "Challenges of Synthetic Biology: From Theory to Practice" (iSSSynBio) is to provide students with a comprehensive and in-depth insight, both in theory and practice, into a current research topic in the vibrant field of Synthetic Biology. Synthetic Biology is a young and interdisciplinary field of life sciences in which scientists strive for developing biological systems with novel properties. The benefits of Synthetic Biology range from improved methods for basic research to a wide variety of applications in biomedicine, biotechnologies, ecology, and bioeconomy. During the two-week iSSSynBio Summer School (14.07.2025 – 27.07.2025), the participants work together with a team of students from the University of Hamburg under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Michael Kolbe on a current research project in synthetic cell biology. As part of their studies, the students learn how to plan, evaluate, document and process scientific experiments, search for and analyze literature and hold discussions with other scientists working in the research field. Ethical issues of modern biomedical research, potential biosecurity aspects, and strategies for preventing misuse of science will be discussed under the guidance of the co-organiser Dr. Mirko Himmel. Besides laboratory work and seminars, the students are going to spend a retreat weekend near Hamburg, where they will delve deeper into topics such as bioethics, techniques in biochemistry and concepts of synthetic biology. |