Sustainable Europe

Based primarily at the Steger Center in the beautiful Ticino region of Switzerland, this 6-credit part of the program will focus on comparative approaches to collaborative policy-making and planning with a focus on environmental issues and sustainability. For example, land conservation, protection of water systems, and ecosystem management, among others. Day trips to a variety of locations (e.g., Milan, Lakes Lugano and Como, hikes in the Alps) will be included, as well as meetings with local officials and policy-makers on these topics. An emphasis will be on how collaborative planning processes in Europe compare to US approaches.

Courses included in this module:

SPIA 2554: Collaborative Policy-Making and Planning (3 cr; Grad-level: UAP 5084): Introduction to multi-stakeholder collaboration and public participation in planning, policy-making, and public administration. Tools and approaches for engagement and effective collaboration. Deliberative and participatory democracy, and transparency in society. Information sharing and access. Civil society, the media, and citizen activism. Ethical and moral issues in collaboration. Barriers to participation, and diversity and inclusion.

Pathways: SPIA 2554 covers concept areas 3 - Reasoning in Social Sciences, 7 - Identity & Equity in U.S., and 10 - Ethical Reasoning

UAP 4374: Land Use and Environment: Policy and Planning (3 cr; Grad-level: UAP 5134G): Environmental factors involved in land use planning and development, including topography, soils, geologic hazards, flooding and stormwater management, ecological features, and visual quality. Techniques used in conducting environmental land inventories and land suitability analyses. Policies and programs to protect environmental quality in land use planning and development.

Note: UAP 3954/5954 can be used as a substitute if you have already completed these courses.

This is the traveling portion of the program, with visits to a variety of locations and settings: Venice, Italy; Vienna, Austria; Budapest, Hungary; Prague and Ostrava, Czech Republic; Budapest, Hungary; Vienna, Austria; Freiburg, Germany; Basel, Switzerland; and Strasbourg and Paris, France. Along the way, we will meet public officials and other stakeholders, examine some of Europe’s most pressing challenges and innovative solutions, and see a variety of cities through the eyes of locals.

This 6-credit part of the program will focus on urban sustainability topics that require transdisciplinary solutions. We will explore how decision-makers and other stakeholders are addressing Europe’s wicked sustainability challenges, including flooding, housing, heavy industry, energy policy, cultural preservation, and Roma self-empowerment, and the roles for civil society in advancing sustainability. A key topic throughout this section is how we can make cities and urban transport more sustainable, including via urban design, land use, and the promotion of walking, cycling, and public transport.

Courses included in this module:

SPIA 3554: Transdisciplinary Problem Solving (3 cr; Grad-level: UAP 5954): Strategies and skills for transdisciplinary problem solving. Emphasis on integrative thinking strategies and cognitive and interpersonal skills required to bridge scientific discipline-based, non-scientific discipline-based and cultural knowledge. Strategies to identify important disciplinary, non-scientific, ethical, cultural, and structural elements of a problem. Problem-based learning, ethics, team work, and effective communication skills.

UAP 3014: Urban Policy and Planning (3 cr; Grad-level: UAP 5954): An introduction to urban policy and urban planning. Includes analysis of the basic concepts and principles of urban policy, a review of urban policy in the United States as compared to a European context, discussion of the development of urban planning and its role in shaping the urban environment, and an analysis of the relationship between public policy and planning and the organization and structure of the urban environment.

Note: For students who have already completed these courses but would still like to participate, UAP 3954/5954 can be used as a substitute.

 This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore planning and policy-making in contemporary Europe. We will meet policy-makers and other stakeholders, examine some of Europe’s most pressing challenges and innovative solutions, and see a variety of cities through the eyes of locals. This six or twelve-credit study abroad program, which can substitute other courses, explores the following themes:

• Multimodal transport
• Environmental policy in the European Union
• Collaborative policymaking in Europe
• Urban form & design
• Non-governmental organizations and civil society
• European solutions to wicked problems
• Water and energy systems
• Arts and culture as community catalysts
• Social and economic sustainability

The trip will afford multiple opportunities to explore how the unique histories, urban forms, and contemporary nature of European cities shape human behavior and advance and challenge long-term sustainability. We will study sustainability holistically, considering the sociocultural, environmental, and economic dimensions. 

Q: Is financial support available?
A: Yes - The Global Education Office has a generous needs-based scholarship program. Financial aid (FAFSA) is also available to those who qualify. You are encouraged to look for other potential sources, like service clubs in your home region. 

Q: How do I apply?
A: All applications must be submitted through the Virginia Tech Global Education Office’s portal. Their system manages the initial application process and facilitates the collection of necessary forms and other information if accepted.

Q: Will we stay at the Ritz-Carlton? Eat in Michelin-starred restaurants?
A: No. But we do work hard to find clean, safe, and convenient accommodations in each city. Sometimes this involves two people per room in more conventional hotels, while at other times there may be seven or more people sharing a room in a hostel. We ensure that we have our own rooms (i.e., are not sharing with others outside the group) with en suite bathrooms.  We also find unique places that reflect the cities and countries we will be visiting. Most of our meals will be communal, and here, too, we strive to find interesting places that highlight the places we are visiting. Sometimes you will be provided a stipend to go off in small groups and find food on your own. 

Q: When and where will this trip take place?
A: This is a two-part program, with the opportunity to register for one, the other, or both parts.
The first part will use Virginia Tech's Steger Center in the beautiful Ticino region of Switzerland as a home base. There will be day trips to a variety of locations in the surrounding regions, including to Milan, Lakes Lugano and Como, and into the Alps. This part runs from May 18th to 29th.
The second part of the program is more of a road trip with stops in the following locations: Venice, Italy; Vienna, Austria; Budapest, Hungary; Ostrava and Prague, Czech Republic; Freiburg, Germany; and Strasbourg and Paris, France. This part of the program will run from May 30th to June 20th.

Q: How many credits will I get?
A: Each part of the program is worth six credits. The full program is thus 12 credits.

Q: Will these credits count towards my degree?
A: As noted above, there are various ways in which the program can count towards your degree. For undergraduate students, the courses contribute towards majors and minors in Environmental Policy and Planning and/or Smart and Sustainable Cities. They may also meet Pathways requirements. For graduate students, they can count towards electives and may be used towards a specialization (and potentially a Graduate Certificate at the director's discretion). We suggest that you speak with your advisor to decipher exactly how this program will fit into your plan of study. 

Q: Who may apply? How will selection take place?
A: The course is targeted at​ undergraduate and graduate students in good standing at Virginia Tech. We aim to have a diverse mix of students from various programs. There are no prerequisites, but the selection process will take academic standing, application statements, and disciplinary records into account. Depending on interest, there may also be an interview process for applicants. Students from other universities are welcome to apply and may be able to cross-register, but should contact us on an individual basis to discuss.

Q: Will we spend most of our time in a classroom? Sightseeing?
A: This highly interactive program involves some classroom time, but also plenty of experiential learning in the field. For example, we will spend a few days in Freiburg, Germany (in the second part of the program), which is one of that country’s most sustainable cities. We will visit sustainable neighborhoods and meet with transportation and other planners and stakeholders. We will also do a bike tour to experience the cycling infrastructure and see some of their energy-efficient buildings. So, you will see sights, but the focus is on the content of the course. The same will be true in the other cities we visit. There will certainly be some time for sightseeing, but expect a packed agenda. Participants may travel before and/or after the program as well.

Q: What will I have to do pre-departure?
A: In addition to making logistical arrangements and packing your bags, we will start the course with an online module before departure. Students are expected to participate in this as an integral part of the course. It will prepare us all for the trip and provide an initial introduction to sustainable policy-making and planning in Europe. Some course assignments will also be due pre-departure to minimize the amount of homework on the road.

Q: What are the expectations of me?
A: This is a credit-granting program, and thus involves the same expectations as courses on campus. You are expected to conform to the Code of Conduct and behave in a manner consistent with University (in addition to local) laws, regulations, and expectations. There will be plenty of fun, but students are expected to participate fully and actively in all educational components of the trip and cooperate with each other and the faculty to ensure the program runs smoothly.

Q: When are applications due? When do I have to pay?
A: Applications are due by December 1, 2025, especially if you wish to apply for financial aid. Applications may be accepted beyond that deadline; however, that is contingent on space. You will be charged a non-refundable deposit shortly after acceptance, with the balance of the program fee due in February. Note that these dates are open to revision. 

Q: How do I learn more about what this program looks like in practice?
A: We encourage you to take a look at our Instagram account, which features past participants' experiences. The exact program has changed over time--and the first part of the program is brand new this year--but the postings will give you a good sense of what is in store.

You are encouraged to complete the 'Cost Sheet' under the 'Financial Matters' tab on our Global Education office application page to get the best sense possible of program costs. The overall cost can vary widely depending on various factors, including: which program parts you complete; if you are in- or out-of-state tuition-wise; the cost of your flights to/from Europe; and your budget for any additional expenses.

The program fees cover accommodations, most meals, transportation costs within Europe, travel insurance, and tours and site visits that are officially part of the program. The fees are $2,560 for the first part and $5,250 for the second. In addition to those fees, you are responsible for tuition, your flights to/from Europe, and any incidentals.  

Ralph Buehler, Ph.D., is Professor of Urban & Environmental Policy & Planning in the School of Public and International Affairs at Virginia Tech’s Research Center in Arlington, VA. Most of his research has an international comparative perspective, contrasting transport and land-use policies, transport systems, and travel behavior in Western Europe and North America. In addition to over 80 articles in refereed academic journals, Ralph is also the author or co-author of chapters in edited books, reports to federal and local governments, NGOs, and for-profit industry organizations, and the edited books City Cycling and Cycling for Sustainable Cities (both MIT Press).  Between 2012 and 2018, he served as chair of the Committee for Bicycle Transportation of the Transportation Research Board (TRB).

Steve Hankey, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Urban & Environmental Policy & Planning program in Virginia Tech's School of Public and International Affairs. His work focuses on the societal challenge of designing and transforming cities to protect human health and the environment to reduce health disparities. His scholarship assesses how policies that shape the urban environment impact human health by (1) reducing exposure to air pollution, (2) promoting active travel (cycling and walking), and (3) assessing how nature in cities impacts pathways to health. By necessity, his work spans disciplinary boundaries (e.g., urban planning, engineering, environmental health, and public policy) and engages with a variety of academic (i.e., national and global teams) and community (e.g., local government, public agencies, and advocacy groups) partners to expand the reach and impact of this work.

Todd Schenk, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and the chair of the Urban & Environmental Policy & Planning program in Virginia Tech’s School of Public and International Affairs. His research and teaching focus on collaborative planning and stakeholder engagement, and environmental policy and planning. Todd has lived in Hungary and the Czech Republic, and previously worked for the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe.