Shared Campus is an international platform launched by 7 arts institutions in 2019, fostering cross-cultural and interdisciplinary exchange across five themes:
- Critical Ecologies
- Cultures, Histories and Futures
- Pop Cultures
- Social Transformation
- Collaborative Tools
As a Theme Partner of Critical Ecologies, UAL contributes to co-operative teaching and learning activities, including faculty exchange, semester programmes, summer schools, research events and symposia and live projects.
Visit the Shared Campus website for a complete list of full partners and theme partners.
2025 Summer Schools
Critical Ecologies - Extractive Realities and Ecological Resonances
Dates: 6 – 19 July 2025
Location: Athens, Greece
Extractivism refers to the exploitation of natural resources, affecting not just the environment but also societies, cultures, and economies. It encompasses the extraction of materials from the earth, the treatment of people within these processes, and the dominant values of profit and growth.
Set in and around Athens, a city historically linked to democracy and global trade, this summer school invites students to explore and map extractivist practices in Aspropyrgos and Elefsina, two industrial towns in northern Athens, as well as struggling farmland and the site of the ancient Eleusinian Mysteries.
Participants will develop and test creative tools to examine extractivism beyond its material effects, considering its invisible and systemic consequences on land, ecosystems, and human and non-human life. Through fieldwork, encounters, and experimental studio practice, students will collaborate on mapping supply chains, geological transformations, speculative futures, and the cultural and ecological impacts of extractivism. The two-week intensive programme will culminate in publicly presented outcomes.
Summer School Faculty
- Dr. Heather BARNETT, Pathway Leader MA Art and Science (UAL)
- Nuria KRÄMER, Coordinator Minor Alternative Futures - pathway “Critical Ecologies” (ZHdK)
Cultures, Histories and Futures - The Afterlife of Art in the Age of International Art Biennales
Dates: 6 – 20 August 2025
Location: Berlin, Germany
The Afterlife of Art in the Age of International Art Biennales is an interdisciplinary summer school that explores the lasting impact of international art biennales. Adopting a reflexive research approach, participants will analyse how biennales interact with historical narratives, contemporary socio-political issues, and the global art economy.
Key themes include:
- The role of biennales in shaping cultural discourse and public perception
- How exhibited artworks evolve beyond the biennale setting
- The influence of non-traditional exhibition spaces on artistic narratives
- The political and economic dimensions of biennales, and their impact on local and global art markets
Through field visits, research projects, and collaborative discussions, students will work closely with curators, artists, and cultural theorists to gain deeper insights into the mechanisms and lasting influence of biennale culture. This two-week intensive programme will culminate in a group sharing session, which may be open to the public.
Summer School Faculty
- William DAVIS, Associate Professor (ZHdK)
- Erika TAN, Reader in Contemporary Art Practices (UAL)
More on Cultures - Histories and Futures
Stay tuned for application details and deadlines.
Who can apply
To apply for this programme, you must be a current UAL year 2 or above undergraduate, or a postgraduate student. You must not be graduating this summer.
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer this grant award to undergraduate year 1, or graduating students.
UAL is committed to increasing access and participation among underrepresented groups, therefore priority will be given to students who meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Students whose household income is £50,000 or under, per year.
- Students in receipt of universal credit or income benefits.
- Students who receive the UAL bursary.
- Students who are care leavers
- Students who are carers
- Students who are refugees/asylum seekers
- Students who are estranged from their parents
- Students who have taken part in the UAL Insights Programme.
Available Grant
All students will be granted the same award circa £1,000 for 2 weeks abroad.
This award can be used to cover all aspects of your time away, including:
- Visa applications (if required)
- Trains/flights and all in-country transportation
- In-country accommodation (unless you opt to stay with friends/family)
- Meals and sustenance
- Summer school material expenses
Accommodation
Athens
The summer school will provide a list of recommended accommodations, but students are responsible for arranging their own stay. The estimated cost for accommodation is between €35 - €40 per night.
Berlin
Students will need to arrange accommodation for themselves. The summer school organisers will provide recommendations of places to stay to the selected participants. It will be best if the students stay in the “Mitte” district. The costs range from approximately €40 - €100 per night
How to apply
To participate, you'll need to apply through our Shared Campus grant application form.
Applications for the Shared Campus programme will open from 7th March 2025. In the meantime, you can register your interest by contacting us at: a.adejumo@arts.ac.uk
Application deadline
The deadline to apply is 4 April 2025. An internal review process will then commence, and all applicants will be notified of the outcome by the 11 April 2025.
Next steps
Once your Shared Campus grant is confirmed, we will communicate with the Central Shared Campus Office at Zurich University of the Arts to let them know of your participation. The Global Engagement team will keep you informed as things progress. Do not book flights or accommodation until your summer school place is confirmed, if you are relying on the grant to support your studies.
Important Information
UAL is not responsible for any costs or losses incurred as a result of course cancellations, changes, or other decisions made by the partner institution. We strongly advise you to consider purchasing travel insurance and to make flexible travel and accommodation arrangements where possible.
You should review the latest travel advice issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) before making any travel plans. You should ensure you are aware of the risks and requirements associated with your destination. UAL cannot be held liable for any issues arising from failure to comply with FCDO advice or local regulations.