Summer school

The primary purpose of this initiative was to offer a practice-oriented international experience, where students worked in transdisciplinary and multicultural teams on sustainable timber construction projects. Through innovative learning approaches such as project-based learning, participants acquired advanced technical knowledge and developed key skills, including intercultural communication, teamwork, and problem-solving within a real-world professional context.

The program began on Sunday, July 5, with a Meet & Greet at Madrid’s iconic Retiro Park. Students had the opportunity to meet their teammates, participate in a collaborative activity on the rowboats of the Estanque Grande, and break the ice in a relaxed atmosphere.

On Monday, July 6, the schedule continued with a full day of technical visits to four case studies of timber buildings in Madrid. The group visited The Thousand Suns Library, the UPM South Campus Residence, the Cuatro Caminos Sports Center, and the Our-Shelves-Houses project. The architects and engineers of each project presented the technical and construction details during the tours, bringing the reality of the industry closer to the students. 

Starting Tuesday, July 7, activities moved to the classrooms of ETSAM. The students were organized into teams of three, with each member hailing from a different institution. During these days of intensive group work, the teams developed specific assignments based on the four timber buildings visited the previous day as real-world case studies and using the online learning resources developed within the project. The work sessions covered fundamental topics led by expert faculty from across the consortium who guided the students’ work:

• Materials: Vijoleta Šulcienė (SCC); Structural Systems: Ivan Giongo & Daniele Salzani (UNITN)

• Manufacturing & On-site Construction: Lauri Peetrimägi, Karin Lellep & Leena Paap (TTK) 

• Energy Efficiency: Rosita Norvaišienė & Raimondas Šadzevičius (LIK) 

• Sustainability: Laura Tupėnaitė (Vilnius Tech) 

• Non-destructive Testing (Lab): Patrick McGetrick (UoG) 

• Structural Design & Destructive Testing (Lab): Almudena Majano-Majano, Antonio José Lara-Bocanegra & Carlos Martínez-Criado (UPM) 

The academic schedule was further enriched by dynamic laboratory sessions focused on timber testing. Students gained hands-on experience using ultrasound equipment to non-destructively measure the elastic properties of different wood species. To complement this, they observed real-time destructive load tests on glulam beams, providing them with a clear understanding of material strength and stiffness.

The summer school culminated on Friday, July 10, with final presentations by each group showcasing the work carried out throughout the week. This was followed by insights into the pedagogical approach behind the experience led by Anu Nordlund and Johanna Leskelä (Laurea University of Applied Sciences), and concluded with the awarding of certificates.

The summer school proved to be an immensely enriching event for the Erasmus+ TimberEDU project, strengthening the collaborative network among European institutions.

The project team expresses its heartfelt thanks and sincere appreciation to all participating students whose enthusiasm, dedication, and collaborative spirit made the TimberEDU Summer School a remarkable success. Our gratitude goes to the students from the University of Trento (UNITN): Alessia Gatta, Mattia Giacomozzi, Sara Marinelli, Sabrina Meneghini, and Simone Piarulli; from Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH): Greta Intaite, Evelina Juchnevic, Greta Lazdinaite, Rapolas Petrutis, and Emilija Vildaite; from TTK University of Applied Sciences (TTK): Asmo Angerjas, Karl Kask, Tanel Maalma, Stenver Sõrmus, and Tanner Tõld; from Lithuanian Engineering College (LIK): Lukas Matevičius, Paulius Misiūnas, Arminas Naujokas, Vėja Petrutytė, and Emilis Žemaitaitis; from the University of Galway (UoG): Emilija Byrne, Kian Cloonan, Emer Finucane, Kyle Jordan, and Dara Quinn; and from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM): Paula Hauschild Arencibia, Adrián Daniel Mancha Ruiz, Manuel Antonio Robles Jiménez, Mar Rodríguez Fernández, and Diego Sobrino Corral.