Decarbonisation Summer School

The Decarbonization Summer School 2025 is an intensive 3-day program that brings together young talents from science, industry, and society to develop innovative solutions for the industrial decarbonization challenge.

Through hands-on workshops, industry case studies, and site visits, you’ll collaborate with top experts to solve real-world challenges. The results will be presented at the prestigious CDI Summer Summit (September 10–12).

We are looking for 15 ambitious, curious minds from diverse backgrounds:

• Master’s students, PhD candidates, and early-career professionals (up to 35 years old)
• From fields such as engineering, environmental sciences, economics, and social sciences
• We aim for a 2/3 technical & economic background and 1/3 from creative fields such as communication, design, and policy

• Design Sprint: Develop innovative solutions with peers from around the world
• Industry Insights: Site visits to companies pioneering decarbonization
• Networking: Meet industry leaders, researchers, and fellow changemakers
• Final Presentation at the CDI Summer Summit: Showcase your ideas to top experts

• Warming Up & Getting to know each other
• Briefing with Challenge-Givers
• Case Analysis
• First Brainstorming

• Excursion to Challenge partners (local companies or research institutes)
• Solution Brainstorming
• Prototyping
• Summer Summit Dinner

• Testing & Iteration
• Presentations to Industry experts on Summer Summit

Moderation by Karl Hosang, Design Thinking expert & BTU decarbonisation program manager

• April 20th: Application Start
• May 15th: Application deadline
• June: Selection process & participant confirmation until June 10th
• September 7: Optional arrival day (Sunday)
• September 8–10: Summer School
• September 10–12: Presentation at CDI Summer Summit

• Participation fee: funded for 15 participants
• Travel costs: Partial reimbursement available on request

Thanks to our partners, the majority of costs are covered.

• Lausitz Science Network e.V. (LSN)
• BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg
• Cluster Dekarbonisierung der Industrie (CDI)
• Fraunhofer IEG
• DLR – Institute of Low-Carbon Industrial Processes
• PtX Lab Lausitz

Are your students or members a potential fit for the Decarbonisation Summer School?

• Share our content via Mail, LinkedIn, Instagram or your preferred communication channel
• Recommend the program to high-potential students and young professionals
• Or become a challenge partner with your company or institution

Questions? Contact us at: decarbsummerschool@lausitz-science-network.de

We look forward to shaping a carbon-free future together!