Università di Trento is inviting students tn the Blended Intensive Programmes organized at the University of Trento during the Fall Semester 2026. Funding is possible through Erasmus+ short term mobility.

Application Deadline: 7 September, 2026

You can apply here: SOI Admission application 2026/27 S1

The programmes are a combination of physical mobility (5 days) and virtual activities awarding a minimum of 3 ECTS:

Challenge: Can We Trust AI in Medical Imaging?

In-presence classes run from 25th to 29th January 2027

A description of the offer will be added soon.

Challenge: Back to the Future: energy security and Microalgae 

In-presence classes run from 16th to 20th November 2026

This edition of Back to the Future invites learners to explore energy security in a time of volatile fuel prices, climate disruption, and deepening inequalities. Working in multidisciplinary, international teams, students will collaborate with SEADS (Space Ecologies Art and Design), to imagine more just and resilient energy futures. Using tools inspired by futures such as adaptations of scenarios and back‑casting, participants will investigate how changing desires, habits, and cultural imaginaries shape energy demand, as well as where future energy might come from: from microalgae and circular bio-resources to human-scale and distributed systems. Throughout the week in Trento and in complementary online activities, students will prototype concepts and recommendations that are technologically plausible, socially grounded, and ethically informed. The challenge aims to cultivate critical and imaginative capacities to rethink energy beyond extraction and scarcity, towards sufficiency, solidarity, and more-than-human sustainability

Challenge: Alternatives to animal-based scientific research.

In-presence classes run from 02nd to 06th November 2026

Are you ready to shape the future of research while championing ethical, cutting-edge science? The ECIU Challenge "Alternatives to animal-based scientific research" invites forward-thinking students from all academic backgrounds to tackle one of the most pressing dilemmas in modern science: pioneering new research methodologies that maximize health outcomes—such as advanced diagnoses and treatments—while phasing out dependency on laboratory animals.

This 3-ECTS blended learning opportunity bridges the gap between synthetic biology, ethics, and entrepreneurship. You will start with interactive online training sessions in October, followed by an intensive, fully immersive week in Trento this November. There, you will explore state-of-the-art university labs, collaborate in multidisciplinary, international teams, and co-create viable, real-world solutions.

New scientific models are being developed to maximize better health outcomes, including new medicines, diagnoses, and medical interventions. Traditionally, this research included and is dependent upon using laboratory animals as a necessary step in the development of new treatments. The goal of this challenge is to innovate ways to develop better medicines and treatments, avoiding the complete use of laboratory animals. This has both scientific and ethical considerations that will be explored.

Challenge: Navigating the Future of Universities in Europe.

In-presence classes run from 02nd to 06th November 2026

The world we live in is changing at an accelerating pace. Universities, too, are constantly confronted with diverse transformations in their environment and are compelled to seek appropriate responses in order to successfully address these changes. Strong leadership and effective strategies are essential to maintain or strengthen their position. The changes faced by universities are complex, often unpredictable, and multifaceted, encompassing (geo)political, economic, social, demographic, environmental and technological trends and shifts. Some of these developments may be perceived as threats, while at the same time they can also present opportunities. The ability of universities to provide adequate responses depends on their strategic capacity and organizational resilience in addressing threats and capitalizing on opportunities.

The key questions, therefore, are: what does the environment of universities look like in 2026, which developments can be identified, what significance do they hold for universities, how do or should universities anticipate or respond to them, and what responses are required to remain future-proof in a complex and turbulent environment ?

In this challenge, you should focus on two major developments, which may or may not be related to other developments and trends, with the aim of developing a strategy for ECIU University (or one of its member universities) for the next five to ten years. In other words, what would constitute an effective approach to successfully addressing the following two developments?

These two developments are:

• Demographic shifts and decline in the traditional student population. In many countries, after years of growth, the number of (prospective) traditional students is decreasing as a result of demographic trends. By traditional students here we mean 18-24 year old domestic students. The consequences of a declining enrollment of these traditional students may have far-reaching consequences for university funding, the design of educational offerings, and the labor market.
• Urbanization (the migration to urban areas) and rural (or peripheral) depopulation. In many countries, considerable regional disparities are emerging. While some urban regions are becoming increasingly overcrowded, other, often rural or peripheral regions are experiencing population decline. This raises pressing concerns about the liveability, vitality, and economic resilience of shrinking regions.

The central task of this challenge is to analyse the potential implications of these two developments for the ECIU University and to come up with a strategy that will enable the ECIU University to respond effectively to these pressing challenges.

Management and Innovation Topics.

In-presence classes run from 16th to 20th November 2026

A description of the offer will be added soon.