Berlin is an attractive metropolitan and multi-cultural city with a vibrant and creative industry. Brandenburg is the surrounding rural region famous for its history and its role in supplying agricultural products to Berlin. However, when we look beneath the surface, it becomes evident that this formerly divided city and region has been going through a challenging change process since the fall of the Wall in 1989. During the last 35 years, the city and the surrounding rural territories had to completely adjust and renew their production processes, economic and physical infrastructure, and people’s mindsets.

The location can thus also be seen as a laboratory of change. For example, the Berlin-Brandenburg economy still lacks larger enterprises and strong supplier links today. At the same time, Berlin has become the centre of the creative start-up scene in Europe, and Brandenburg is the most substantial German cluster in renewable energies. Hence, dynamic and declining economic sectors, regions and suburbs are located next to each other. Held in this location, our Summer Academy, including our evening programme, will give you a glimpse into this diverse world of impressions.