The Summer School is open to PhD students  with a PhD project on IPM-related issues. Students must have an interest in the effects of climate change on pests, weeds or diseases, and basic experience or a strong interest in modelling approaches. Participants should have a basic knowledge of the 'R' programming language by the time the Summer School begins as 'R' is the language which will mostly be used for the models that will be demonstrated. Upon request, a basic 'R' course can be organised at Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna of Pisa (SSSA) on the Thursday and Friday before the Summer School for those students who have not studied 'R' before.

The Topics  of the Summer School will be: climate change; IPM; the relations between climate change, IPM and agronomy; and concepts and methods for modelling and simulations in 'R', with possible links to other programmes.

The Programme  foresees both theoretical lectures and practical activities in small groups, using basic models provided by the teachers to test the research questions formulated by the students.

The Teachers are internationally renowned experts in their scientific domain, from eight ENDURE partners:

• Camilla Moonen from SSSA (Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna of Pisa), Italy (local organisation and coordination)
• Jean-Noël Aubertot and Daniel Wallach from INRA (France's National Institute for Agricultural Research), France
• François Brun from ACTA, France
• Yves Dumont and Frédéric Chiroleu from CIRAD (French Agrciultural Research Centre for International Development), France
• Til Feike from JKI (Julius Kühn Institute), Germany
• Mark Szalai from SZIE (Szent István University), Hungary
• Graham Begg from JHI (The James Hutton Institute), Scotland
• Niels Holst from AU (Aarhus University), Denmark

Location: The Summer School will take place at SIAF (pictured right), an International School of Advanced Education established by the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna of Pisa and the Foundation of the Cassa di Risparmio di Volterra. SIAF is located in Volterra (60km south-east of Pisa), in the heart of the Tuscany countryside. A visit to the city will be organised for Summer School attendants.

For more information:

• For further details, contact Camilla Moonen.
• To read more about ENDURE's most recent Summer School, addressing agroecology for crop protection, click here.