BUP Science and Sail 2026

The Baltic University Programme (BUP), Klaipeda University and Riga Technical University (Campus Liepāja), proudly present BUP Science and Sail 2026, a summer school with a focus on the Baltic Sea environment and coastal development.

The event will take place from 2-9 August 2026 in Klaipėda, Lithuania, with a two-day excursion to Liepāja, Latvia. Accepted students and PhD students will be studying the sensitive Baltic Sea Environment, both on land and at sea, with leading experts from across the region. After the successful completion of the summer school, each participant will be offered 3 ECTS from Klaipeda University.

The summer school is the second of three events connected to the Swedish Institute-financed project 'CoMaDe - Coastal and Marine Development through Collaboration and Interdisciplinary Learning'. The project aims to foster connections among students across the region and deepen their understanding of sustainability challenges along the Baltic Sea coastline.

Event content

One day of the summer school will take place onboard Klaipeda University’s sailing vessel Brabander, sailing from Klaipėda to Liepāja, while conducting tests and collecting samples. Participants will also study the unique coastal environment of the Curonian Spit and visit the Sventoji settlement and Seaside Regional Park, learning about the impacts and solutions to climate change, biodiversity loss and the human aspects of the unique Baltic Sea Environment. The excursions are accompanied by relevant lectures and seminars.

A key part of the summer school is the creative case studies that accepted students will conduct in small groups under the supervision of PhD students. In the weeks before the summer school, students are expected to prepare questions and outline their case study plans. During the event, each group will collect data, consult experts, study key indicators, and learn to draw conclusions to better understand coastal development in the Baltic Sea. On the final day, the students will present their findings to their peers. The goals of the event are to:

• Improve the knowledge of students about the Baltic Sea Environment and its importance for the societies and economies of the region.
• Reflect and explore different indicators related to the Baltic Sea Environment.
• Teach students techniques to solve environmental problems from an interdisciplinary and practical approach.
• Build skills in intercultural and interdisciplinary cooperation.

Target group

Applications are open for students studying at either bachelor's or master's level at The Baltic University Programme’s participating universities. Up to 35 students will be selected to take part.

Furthermore, we will welcome up to 6 PhD students. The PhD students will have a unique opportunity to take part in the full program, along with the students, while also practicing their teaching and mentoring skills. The attending PhD student will be supporting students in contextualizing the work, especially leading the groups during the case study conduction.

We accept students from all kinds of study programs and no prior knowledge of the Baltic Sea Environment is required.

Please notice that there is a separate link for PhD students to apply.

Selection of students

After the application deadline on 4 May 2026, the selection of students will be made based on the motivation, field of study and background. Selected students will be offered a spot, while a smaller group of the remaining students will be put on a waiting list. At the latest on 18 May 2026, the students who have been selected will be contacted.

For the selection of PhD students, we will be conducting interviews with suitable candidates.

Only applications written in English will be considered. At the time of the event, you must be enrolled at a BUP participating university.

Please note that your application has only been approved if you have received confirmation of this by email.

Practical information

Cost and location

This summer school is free of charge and no fees apply. The summer school will take place in and around Klaipėda, Lithuania, at the campus of Klaipeda University and in Liepāja, Latvia. One of the days will also be spent sailing onboard the sailing vessel Brabander.

Each student have to cover their own travel costs to and from Klaipėda. We encourage accepted students to explore funding opportunities via their local university, such as Erasmus+ mobility grants (Note: The event will not be organised as a Blended Intensive Programme BIP).

Accommodation and food

Accepted students will be accommodated in Klaipėda and Liepāja in shared rooms and all meals will be provided from the evening of 2 August to check out on 9 August.

Certificate of attendance

Students who complete the summer school will be rewarded with a certificate and granted 3 ECTS by Klaipeda University.

Cancellation policy

There is no fee to take part in this event, since your participation will be covered by The Baltic University Programme. However, if you don't show up or cancel your participation with late notice (after 25 June 2026), we hold the right to charge you or your university department the cost of your participation (450 €). We only accept late cancellations due to illness, family-related matters, or force majeure, if sufficient documents can be provided (doctor's certificate, etc.).

Accessibility

Students must be able to swim freely for 200 meters to meet the security measures on board the sailing vessel Brabander.

If you have any questions regarding the accessibility of the event and venues, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Marketing material

We welcome you to share information about the BUP Science and Sail and invite you to use our marketing material:

Event image for Instagram jpg, 1020 kB.

Event poster pdf, 3 MB.

Introduction video about the BUP mp4, 7 MB.

Contacts and more information

If you have any questions or want more information about the BUP Science and Sail, you are most welcome to reach out.