UCD students explore local-global placemaking at the NICE Summer School in Edinburgh
More than 60 students from six partner universities attended the 2025 NICE Summer School which took place in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The (opens in a new window)Network for International Competence to facilitate Entrepreneurship (NICE) is a 12-week virtual exchange programme that equips students with knowledge and skills to develop business solutions for pressing global challenges in intercultural teams. At the end of the virtual programme, a number of students from each partner university are selected to attend an in-person Summer School. In 2025, 20 UCD students took part in the virtual programme and nine of them had an opportunity to attend in-person Summer School.
UCD students joined delegates from University of Edinburgh, University of Amsterdam, University of Padua, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and University of Johannesburg. Designed by a team of educators from partner universities, the programme focused on local-global placemaking. Local-global placemaking is a process involving human-centered design, community participation, and the integration of cultural, social, and environmental elements to enhance the quality of life and foster a sense of belonging by implementing the ‘think globally, act locally’ approach. The programme was enriched by educators from Ukraine who integrated content on war-torn spaces and how spaces are used during periods of aggression into the programme, challenging the students’ understanding of places and how they can be used as symbols of resilience as well as used for community building during challenging times.
“Through exposure to diverse cultures, commitment to sustainability, cooperation and co-creation, open discussion, inclusivity, and agency, students actively shape their spaces to foster community belonging and a sense of safety.” - a workshop outcome reached by students
The students had the opportunity to attend workshops on placemaking and work in teams on exploring and enhancing spaces across Edinburgh, turning them into meaningful and vibrant public places. Each team was assigned a different space in the city that is currently underused and asked to co-create an inclusive and sustainable place in service of the community by applying the theory brought to their attention during the workshops. This gave the students an opportunity to leave the classroom and explore the city, combining the practices from their local community to revitalise the underutilised spaces in Edinburgh.
Students had the opportunity to showcase their solutions during a summit on the final day of the summer school. Students took their developed solutions to the space they were assigned to test it and to interview locals on their thoughts and if they have any suggestions for improvement. The solutions ranged from nature therapy across preservation of oral history to more accessible and safe parks, once again proving that the NICE Summer School is a great incubator of innovative and creative ideas by future generations eager to leave their mark on their communities.
“The NICE Summer School was an amazing experience. After months of connecting online, finally meeting everyone in person brought a whole new energy to the programme. The sessions were insightful, and they really helped me understand how international cooperation works in practice. Spending the week in Edinburgh made it even more special, the city was the perfect backdrop for such a meaningful experience. I’m truly grateful to UCD and to our coordinator, Tajana, for the opportunity to attend. I’d highly recommend the NICE programme to anyone who gets the chance.” - Mariya Nurdaulet, UCD NICE student
“Attending the NICE Summer School in Edinburgh was an unforgettable experience. Collaborating with a diverse team on the global challenge of local placemaking gave me a fresh perspective on how communities connect with shared spaces, and helped me grow both personally and professionally. The week was filled with meaningful conversations, creative problem-solving, and moments of inspiration - both in our group work and while exploring the beauty and history of Edinburgh.” - Swetha Balasubramanian, UCD NICE student
Learn more about the NICE programme on the UCD Global website and by following (opens in a new window)UCD Global Instagram.
- The NICE Programme commenced in 2017, coordinated by the University of Edinburgh and co-funded by Erasmus+, as a partnership between eight different research-intensive universities across the UK and Europe, including UCD.
- Applications for the 2026 NICE programme will open in January 2026 and will be advertised on the UCD Global website.
- There is no fee for participating in the NICE Programme.
- For more information on the NICE Programme, contact (opens in a new window)nice@ucd.ie.