2015 Undergraduate Summer School

2015 Universitas 21 Undergraduate Summer School (U21 Summer School)

Only ten days left to apply!

Host: University of Glasgow

Location: Glasgow, UK

Dates: July 1-15, 2015

Theme: Cities and Citizen Engagement in the Digital Age

Costs: Participation in this program is funded by the Office of International Affairs for an approximate value of $2,700/ student. Airfare, registration fee (including accommodation and most meals), international health insurance, and visa costs (if applicable) will be fully covered by the Office of International Affairs for four successful candidates. Participating students will need their own spending money for occasional dinners on free nights, transfers to and from the airport, and personal costs while visiting Scotland.

This is a competitive application.

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The University of Maryland has been invited to nominate four undergraduate students to participate in the 2015 Universitas 21 Undergraduate Summer School being hosted by the University of Glasgow in Glasgow, United Kingdom, July 1-15, 2015. This year’s event focuses on the theme “Cities and Citizen Engagement in the Digital Age”.  U21 undergraduate students from a variety of countries, cultures, and academic disciplines will spend two weeks engaging in activities, discussions and workshops aimed at exploring ideas for using new technologies to improve the quality of life in urban settings worldwide. 

Cities are complex, dynamic structures: difficult to predict and manage, with everyday issues arising in economic stability, energy security, environmental integrity, independent living, communications, built environment and civic participation.

Understanding how these services combine to produce a city level effect is a challenge.  Their sheer complexity and unpredictability makes the policy setting and management of effective, high-functioning, successful cities an increasingly important social and economic priority. Successful cities are those which position themselves to understand systemic behaviors and develop policy and service responses which address the issues these create – an ability to respond and adapt to the changing environment around them.

The U21 Summer School 2015 theme is Cities and Citizens in the Digital Age and will offer a program of seminars and practical experiences demonstrating how new technologies can be used to support and improve the vital components of a fully functional city. This will cover citizen engagement, transportation, energy, big data, protecting vulnerable groups and physical regeneration, with a focus on how key services are increasingly informed and influenced by emerging technologies.

To apply, please submit the following materials to raluca@umd.edu by Wednesday, April 29, 2015:

-          Resume

-          Cover letter including your full name, UID, Class status, College, Major and Minor, and GPA*

-          A two-page essay describing your interest in the program, your motivation to apply, how will you contribute to the program, and what do you expect to gain from this experience.

-          Two academic recommendations

For more information, please contact Dr. Raluca Nahorniac in the Office of International Affairs at raluca@umd.edu

* Class Eligibility: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior; Minimum GPA: 3.3; Major Eligibility: All Majors