The Wave Trends Lab 2024–2025 summer school, hosted by the Polytechnic University of Leiria connects culture, sport, and creativity to explore emerging trends and turn ideas into action. Divided into three phases – explore, understand, and create – the lab invites students to investigate Leiria’s cultural and sports ecosystem, analyse megatrends such as sustainability, innovation, and sport-driven lifestyles, and develop creative events that promote heritage, sports culture, and innovative living. It offers a unique opportunity to combine critical thinking, design, and action in projects that shape the future.

Cultural-project development for Wave Trends Lab:

• Planning and developing a sports event inspired by current lifestyle shifts and macrotrends, promoting health, well-being, and sustainability within the beach sports context.
• Exploring cultural trends shaping community behaviours and interests, focusing on their impact on sports and recreational practices.
• Facilitating an interactive workshop to explore the local cultural landscape, inspiring new ideas for events through observation, brainstorming, and design thinking methods.
• Using creative and collaborative practices to translate cultural insights into creative and innovative solutions for trend-aligned sports events.

This LEXS introduces students to the concept of event-driven innovation within the context of Peniche (Leiria District), a peninsula with a unique ecosystem. Students will work in groups and use the design thinking method to come up with a solution/project proposal for future stakeholders.

Schedule
From 7 to 11 July 2025 at IPLeiria in Leiria, Portugal.

This Summer School explores ride-sharing for commutes via gamification, building skills in designing products, services & IT solutions for sustainable mobility.

Mode of delivery
In-person

Language of instruction
English

1 ECTS credit

Academic recognition
To be defined by each Home Institution. Generally, most students will have this RUN-EU Summer School certified in their Diploma Supplement as a minimal condition.

Howest students must take it as an extra credit, there will be no replacement in our study programme.

Eligible participants
All RUN-EU degree students, but preference is given to students with demonstrated interest in events, community, sustainability and innovation.

How to apply
Fill in the application form

Deadline for applications
23 May 2025