We are thrilled to open applications for our Life Cycle Summer School 2026 — a four-day intensive program we are hosting this year in Malmö, Sweden from 26–29 August 2026. LCSS 2026 is being organized under the theme: Designing Solutions vs. Shifting the Problem: Using Life Cycle Management to Anticipate Consequences and Shape Sustainable Regional Innovation.
Each year, we bring together researchers, industry professionals, and regional managers to explore how life cycle management (LCM) can drive regional sustainability in a practical, policy-oriented way. This year, our theme places innovation under the spotlight — not to celebrate it uncritically, but to ask a harder question: are we designing real solutions, or merely shifting problems elsewhere? Regions play a pivotal role in creating the conditions under which innovation thrives, yet that enabling role comes with real responsibility: we believe regional actors must not only foster innovation, but actively steer it toward outcomes that are ecologically sound, socially equitable, and long-term viable.
In our program, we focus on how LCM can anticipate critical consequences before decisions are locked in — equipping participants to assess innovations before they scale and to design solutions in harmony with systems, resources, and society. Through our mix of short lectures, intensive workshops, and lively discussion sessions, we will dive together into regional ecosystems to uncover how stakeholders can collaborate to identify potential pitfalls before they become embedded in infrastructure. We welcome applications from undergraduate, doctoral, and post-doctoral students, young professionals and researchers under 40 — and we especially encourage officials from regional institutions to join us.
Year after year, our participants tell us that the Summer School is one of the most rewarding experiences of their professional journey — not just for the knowledge and tools they take home, but for the connections they make along the way. Past editions have brought together brilliant, passionate people from across academia, industry, and public life, and many of those relationships have grown into lasting collaborations. We work hard to make sure every edition is intellectually stimulating, practically useful, and genuinely fun. So — apply now! Places are limited and applications are reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis, so we strongly encourage you to apply as early as possible. And if you submit your application before 31 May 2026, you will also benefit from our early bird discount.
We hope to see you in Malmö this August!
Tags: call for applications lca lcss regional sustainable development summer school
