Winter School in Interdisciplinary Biodiversity

The programme

The 2025 Winter School in Interdisciplinary Biodiversity (January 27 - February 1) was sponsored by the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), and organised by Ca’ Foscari University’s School for International Education (CFSIE), in collaboration with the Italian National Research Council’s Istituto di Scienze Marine (CNR-ISMAR).

Organising Committee
  • Corinna Guerra, Assistant Professor at Ca' Foscari
  • Fantina Madricardo, Senior Researcher at CNR ISMAR in Venice
Faculty
  • Maria Chiara Carrozza
  • Ernesto Azzurro
  • Corrado Battisti
  • Daniele Brombal
  • Edy Fantinato
  • Diego Fontaneto
  • Silvia Francescon
  • Elena Gissi
  • Valentina Lauria
  • Stefano Mammola
  • Valentina Marcheselli
  • Veronica Nanni
  • Pietro Daniel Omodeo
  • Justas Patkauskas
  • Isabel Sousa Pinto
  • Sabrina Tamburini

Programme goals

The programme goals were to provide definitions and tools for the understanding and management of the different components of the biodiversity as observed by the biologist, the climatologist, the social scientist, the economist and others. With a widely interdisciplinary approach, it investigated the following questions:

  • What is biodiversity?
  • How can it be measured nowadays, and its changes determined with respect to the “natural” state of the environment?
  • What are the ecosystem services provided by the biota and their effects on human health, food production and energy supply?
  • How is biodiversity conservation regulated by law?

Key Topics covered

Bringing together experts and participants from diverse fields, the initiative explored topics ranging from ecological modelling and environmental planning to legal, political, and media perspectives on biodiversity.

The programme addressed biodiversity across various ecosystems—urban, coastal, polar, and microbial—while also examining the impact of alien species and sex-based ecological differences. Sessions integrated socio-anthropological insights, Science and Technology Studies (STS), and science-to-policy approaches, providing participants with a comprehensive understanding of biodiversity as both a scientific and societal challenge. This unique experience equipped attendees with the tools to engage critically and constructively in global biodiversity conservation efforts.

The Winter School in numbers

In 2025, thanks to a generous funding secured by the NBFC, we were proud to offer unprecedented support to our participants. Tuition fees were completely waived for 30 students, making access to the programme entirely free for them. We also provided free accommodation in Venice for 24 participants and covered international flight costs for 12 students. These opportunities were awarded through a highly competitive Call for Applications that attracted over 300 applicants. Following a rigorous evaluation process, the most talented and deserving candidates were selected to take part in this unique experience.