«The Summer School for Sustainability i3s changed my life,» says Joel Ikabat from Uganda at OST in Rapperswil-Jona. «Before the event, I didn't know much about sustainability. Today, sustainability aspects influence my thoughts and actions.» Joel participated as a student in the i3s in Karlsruhe a year ago. He now works at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries in Uganda. At this year's i3s at OST, he was invited as a speaker and shared his experiences with the 60 students.
«In Uganda, a large portion of our food spoils before it reaches people because it is not consistently refrigerated. I was able to bring my knowledge from the Summer School about new, more environmentally friendly refrigerants to my team and establish contact with the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, which is specialized in this area, among others.» And he adds, «When we implement new technologies in Uganda, why not make them sustainable from the start?»
From Heat Pumps to PFAS
These are the kinds of challenges — and potential solutions — that are intensively discussed during the i3s Summer School, which takes place over the course of a week. Launched four years ago as a joint project by OST, the HKA Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, and the Transilvania University of Brasov in Romania, the i3s was held for the second time at OST this September. The Oklahoma State University also participated by providing participants with access to online lectures.
The students attending were not only from the participating universities—the i3s is open to all students. In Rapperswil-Jona, a group of participants from 15 countries across four continents came together, including several African students. They joined primarily through the SophiA project, from which the Summer School originated. This year's event was named in honor of the late agricultural scientist Noble Banadda from Makerere University in Uganda.
The program included expert lectures, workshops, and excursions. Students engaged deeply with topics such as industrial heat pumps, solar technology, energy technology, PFAS, and sustainability management. Among other activities, they visited the production facilities of Everllence (formerly MAN Energy Solution) in Zurich and the Werdhölzli wastewater treatment plant in Zurich.
Science and Industry
In addition to lecturers from OST, other renowned experts from various universities accompanied the students. Among them was Prof. Saman Nimali Gunasekara from Stockholm University, who is also a board member of the International Solar Energy Society (ISES). Dr. Rajendra Shende, former director of the United Nations OzonAction Program and a key figure in the implementation of the Montreal Protocol, was present for several days, as were Prof. Josef Noll from the University of Oslo and Prof. Nicholas Kiggundu from Makerere University. Additionally, representatives from companies such as Sustainia, Raach Solar, Truma, Carbon-Connect AG, and Güntner delivered lectures.
Almost as important as the academic inputs was the social program. The students got to know the city of Rapperswil-Jona through a scavenger hunt, in addition to a brief welcome from the city president, Barbara Dillier. A highlight of the week was the dinner at Rapperswil Castle with an alphorn reception and a sunset boat trip from Zurich back to the OST campus.
Strengthening Global Collaboration
«With the Summer School, we bring together students from different continents and cultures with a common goal: learning, exchange, and developing solutions for a sustainable future,» says Dr. Mihaela Dudita-Kauffeld from the SPF Institute for Solar Technology, who organized the visit on behalf of OST. «This unique experience not only deepens technical knowledge but also fosters lasting connections that will strengthen global collaboration in the field of sustainability.»
Dr. Rajendra Shende also sees great potential in this generation of students and offered them motivating words: «Your diversity, your skills as digital natives, and your unwavering belief in a sustainable future represent the most important resources we have to address existential threats such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.»