Participants of the Alpine Europe: Innovation in the Circular Economy Summer School 2026 from the University of Primorska, Oregon State University, Saarland University and partner institutions continued their two-week programme with visits to companies, cultural sites and the InnoRenew CoE building.

The fifth day of the Summer School started with a visit to LIP Bohinj. Participants were introduced to the company’s history and production activities before taking a guided tour of the production line, following the manufacturing process from logs to formwork boards. Following the visit, participants had the opportunity to spend some free time in Bohinj and Bled before continuing their journey to Bovec.

The sixth day was dedicated to free time in Bovec, giving participants the opportunity to relax and explore the surrounding area. Many took part in outdoor activities, including canyoning in Fratarica, ziplining near Kanin and hiking.

The seventh day of the Summer School started with a visit to the World War I Museum in Kobarid, where participants learned more about the history of the region. The programme continued with a visit to InnoRenew CoE in Izola, the largest wooden building in Slovenia, where participants toured the building and research laboratories and learned more about the building’s human health aspects and current research activities. Participants also took part in a co-creation workshop within the SediMateria project. During the workshop, they worked in groups to discuss challenges related to the development of sustainable building materials from marine sediments and wood residues and contributed their ideas to the further development of the project. The workshop was organised by members of the SediMateria team, winners of the national Bio-based Innovation Student Challenge Europe (BISC-E) competition.

Led by faculty from the University of Primorska and Oregon State University (USA), the Summer School is organised by UP FAMNIT, UP IAM and the NEBAP Hub in collaboration with Oregon State University, a global partner of the T4EU Alliance. As such this summer school presents a crucial step in strengthening the global relevance of T4EU and its partners.