Activities in Nordic Summer University (NSU) revolve around thematic study circles that meet twice a year in winter/spring and summer. NSU study circles explore widely diverse topics within the arts and humanities, natural and social sciences and provide a cross-disciplinary forum for debating topics that are not already established in universities, thereby contributing to the initiation of new research agendas and alternative perspectives.

During the winter/spring, in their respective locations throughout the Nordic and Baltic region, each circle holds a three-day symposium. During one week in the summer all of the circles hold their symposia at a shared location, which offers additional possibilities for cross-fertilisation, to share and be in dialogue with participants research. NSU study circles offer a rare environment for critique and exchange consisting of returning members and a constant influx of new participants. This dynamic enables circle members to follow a consistent working process over time, while also benefiting from interaction with and input from new participants.

NSU offers ECTS credits to students who participate in a symposium. You can become part of NSU by contacting the coordinators of the study circle you are interested in joining and by subscribing to the newsletter.

Current three-year Study Circles and open calls for participation:

1. Place of Heritage in Interdisciplinarity (2023-2025)
2. Cybioses – life in the future imperfect (2023-2025)
3. The Praxis of Social Imaginaries. Cosmologies, Othering and Liminality (2023-2025)
4. An/Other\not-I/(m)\Other in Feminist Philosophy (2024-2026)
5. Ecology of Transformative Learning Practices With/In A More-than-human World (2025-2027)
6. What is critical about critical theory? Bridging the gap between social science and philosophy (2025-2027)
7. Act, React & Reflect: Meta-perspectives on climate change knowledge (2025-2027)
8. Queer Materialism (2025-2027)
9. Degrowth and Exnovation (2025-2027)

Ad Hoc circle:

1. Decolonising the Anthropocene through Artistic Research (2025)

Archive of previous study circles can be found here.

Anyone can make a proposal for a three-year study circle cycle. Subjects of study are based on proposals that go through community review process and must be accepted by the General Assembly of the NSU.

Current open calls for new study circles:

• no open calls

Previous calls for study circles (as an example):

• Call for one-year Study Circle about Academic Freedom 2024 (closed)
• Call for Study Circle Proposals 2024-2026 (closed)
• Call for 3 one-year study circles 2022 (closed)

Answers on frequently asked questions are to be found on the support pages.