One month after the IFSA–ENFASYS PhD Summer School, we are proud to look back on an inspiring week dedicated to systems thinking, collaborative learning and sustainability transitions in agriculture and food systems.
Held in Montpellier, the Summer School brought together more than 30 PhD researchers from across the world for an intensive programme combining online learning, hands-on teamwork and participation in the IFSA Conference.
Building on the ENFASYS online MOOC, participants explored real agri-food case studies through interdisciplinary collaboration. Working in teams, they analysed complex system dynamics, mapped relationships between actors, engaged with local stakeholders, identified leverage points, and developed intervention strategies to address sustainability challenges. Throughout the programme, participants were encouraged to critically reflect not only on the systems they were studying, but also on the assumptions, perspectives and research approaches shaping their own work.
The programme concluded with presentations during the IFSA 2026 plenary, followed by a final reflection session exploring how systems thinking can inform future PhD research and support more effective sustainability transitions.
The Summer School highlighted the importance of learning by doing, demonstrating how participatory systems mapping can support both the analysis of complex systems and meaningful collaboration across disciplines and stakeholder groups.
The ENFASYS consortium would like to thank Domenico Dentoni, Elsa Ligaya Dingkuhn, Filippo Pini, Arianna Dell’Olio, Elisabeth Stumvoll, Fleur Marchand, Louis Tessier, Garima Kishor and Paolo Prosperi, together with all case contributors, stakeholders and organisers who made the Summer School possible.
Above all, we thank all doctoral researchers whose enthusiasm, openness and commitment created an engaging and inspiring learning environment.
The IFSA–ENFASYS PhD Summer School was organised by CIHEAM Montpellier, ILVO, MBS School of Business and IFSA as part of the Horizon Europe project ENFASYS.
