The African-German Centre for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems and Applied Agricultural and Food Data Science (UKUDLA) is inviting applications for a summer school funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with support from the German Federal Foreign Office. The summer school will take place from 6 to 18 March 2027 in Mpumalanga, South Africa.

The Summer School brings together MSc students from Germany, Malawi, and South Africa to explore how data science can contribute to building more sustainable and resilient food systems under climate change.

Summer Schools are a key component of UKUDLA’s capacity-building activities, providing an immersive and interdisciplinary learning environment. The programme is designed to strengthen participants’ understanding of the intersections between food systems and data science, while fostering collaboration, innovation, and exchange across disciplines and regions.

Participants will take part in a diverse programme including hands-on training, excursions, and collaborative group work. Activities are designed to connect theory with practice and to develop transferable skills in systems thinking, stakeholder engagement, and interdisciplinary research.

Programme Highlights | Requirements | How to apply

- Explore the Lowveld food landscape and learn about local agriculture, food security and climate-related challenges.
- Experience smallholder farming in Nkomazi and engage with local farmers and communities.
- Apply data science, GIS and remote sensing to real-world food-system challenges.
- Visit Kruger National Park and explore connections between conservation, natural resources, livelihoods and food security.
- Discover Mpumalanga, including the Blyde River Canyon and Panorama Route.
- Think in systems and work across disciplines in international teams.
- Develop data-driven solutions for resilient and sustainable food systems.
- Communicate science and data effectively to different audiences.