Summer School: Think Camp Rural Development 2nd-7th July2023:
How rural areas can face and help in the current European challenges Implementa-tion of “smart Solutions” to respond to rural sustainable development needs”)

This year, SGGW, as a member of Euroleague, had the opportunity to organize the Summer School: Think Camp Rural Development on July 2-7, 2023.

Think Camp addresses rural development issues during crisis time in interdisciplinary views and aims to bring students and teachers from several countries and fields of work to-gether to discuss the challenges, problems, and possible solutions. The subtitle of the summer school “implementation of “smart Solutions” to respond to rural sustainable development needs” directed us to indicate the possibility of their use in rural areas as well as other aspects of the life of rural communities.

10 participants remained from 5 countries i.e.: 5 students from Poland, 2 from Germany, 1 from Czech Republic, 1 from Belgium and 1 from Turkey. 5 PhD, 3 master and bachelor stu-dents were participated in the Think Camp. Participants got together for 5 working days to fol-low lectures, participate in seminars and discussion rounds, hold presentations of their own pa-pers and practice academic and soft skills that they can apply in their future career.
They took part in the whole day study tour to Municipality Orońsko, where the Orońsko Commune Office, Chocolate flint mine and Center of Polish Sculpture in Orońsko were visit-ed. To put their knowledge into action, they engaged developing smart solution ideas based on real-life scenario from the study tour in municipality Orońsko.
They also had the opportunity to learn about historical places in Warsaw by visiting museums and walking around the Old Town.

Online meeting, June 9, 2023 – Students learned the rules of participation in Think Camp and received background of the idea of smart villages presented by Dr Agnieszka Parlińska.
During Summer school organized at Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS-SGGW) from 2nd till 7th July 2023 students participate in lectures:
• Prof. Karel Tomsik from CZU with the topic about “Rural Economic Development Towards Sustainability”.
• Dr. Maciej Stawicki from WULS- SGGW with the presentation “Does history still mat-ter? Spatial aspects of rural development in Poland”.
• Andrzej Perkowski and Adam Sieczka as a representatives of the Office of the Mar-shal of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship in Warsaw described the “The Smart Villages concept – challenges and dilemmas for Mazovia Voivodship”.
• Dr. hab. Maria Parlińska from Helena Chodkowska University of Technology and Eco-nomics and Dr. Agnieszka Parlińska from WULS gave the background of “Develop-ment of “Smart villages„ concept in Poland”.
• Dr. hab. Agata Malak Rawlikowska and Dr. Monika Gębska from WULS presented smart solution in agriculture in their presentation “Developing a Methodology for Ag-gregated Assessment of the Eco-nomic Sustainability of Pig Farms”.
• Dr. Tetyana Sokolska from Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University introduced “Sustainable development of rural areas in Ukraine: current state and development prospects”.
• Prof. Valeriia Lymar from Vasyl’ Stus Donetsk National University discussed current problem of Ukraine’s energy security: strengths, weaknesses, and threats from the Russian Federation.
• Dr. Aleksandra Górecka from The Polish National Agency For Academic Exchange presented – “NAWA research project possibilities”
Participants of the Think Camp were oblige to present tier own papers which were re-viewed and discussed by other participants.
Also during the summer school the study tour was organized to Municipality Orońsko, where the Orońsko Commune Office, Chocolate flint mine and Center of Polish Sculpture in Orońsko were visited. Participants divided into groups worked on a case study. On the basis of the re-ceived information, the groups were to propose the possibilities of using the “smart Solution” application in the commune they visited.

Once again, we would like to thank all participants: students, lecturers and employees of our host Orońsko commune. Also thanks dr Agnieszka Parlińska, Dr. Michał Wielechowski and Dr. Piotr Gabryjonczyk for organizing and their great support during the summer school.