The New Academy
After Summer School 2025
After Summer School returns from 18 to 21 September 2025 with four days of city classes scattered across Rotterdam. A wide variety of makers, thinkers and organisations will share their methods for changing the city — by looking, listening, writing, archiving, collaborating, activating, researching and designing differently.
18 - 21 September
During the After Summer School 2025, a wide range of public classes will take place throughout the city, presenting Rotterdam as a hub for knowledge that deserves to be recognised and included in the city development.
This year’s After Summer School especially explores ways of learning that foster peace through empathy, curiosity, imagination, listening, resistance, and resilience.
The programme features contributions from Afrikaanderwijk Coöperatie, AMPFEMININE, Di Fang & Colette Aliman, Loom, Niels Spaans, OMI, Rosi Braidotti, Stine Jensen, Stadspark West, Varia, Verhalenhuis Belvédère, WaterSchool, and many more.
The New Academy
The New Academy is an initiative of the Nieuwe Instituut in collaboration with philosopher Rosi Braidotti that reimagines Rotterdam as a knowledge city. It aims to create a local platform for new ways of learning to address complex social and ecological challenges together. It is centred around knowledge that is city-based, minoritarian, more-than-human, and embodied. As one of its activities, The New Academy develops a Curriculum for Change: a series of courses, talks, workshops and other activities that show and teach a plural, inclusive and interdisciplinary (design) approach to the city.
Partners
For this edition of the After Summer School, the New Academy works together with (A)Wake, Afrikaanderwijk Coöperatie, AMPFEMININE, Di Fang & Colette Aliman, DRIFT (Dutch Research Institute for Transitions) & Gemeente Rotterdam, Emer Beamer, James Parnell, Journal Safar & Design Drafts, Loom, Miriam Rasch, Niels Spaans, OMI Rotterdam, Rosi Braidotti, Stadspark West, Stine Jensen, Varia, Through Sounds, Verhalenhuis Belvédère, WaterSchool by Studio Makkink & Bey, Willemijn Lofvers, and Convivium & Zoöp.
