New Courses Open for Enrolment! Find Out More
New Courses Open for Enrolment! Find Out More
At our Sustainability & the Environment Summer School, students will strive to preserve life on planet Earth, collaborating in small groups to generate solutions to some of humanity’s most challenging issues. Students will learn, and experience, how the fields of climate science, politics, and leadership can work together to beat extinction through exciting case studies.
Our young learners will collaborate with their peers to publish a list of ideas and innovations to solve these challenges. They will be supported and inspired by extraordinary global thought leaders and diverse faculty working on the front lines of climate change, water resources, food instability, and wildlife conservation.
| Location | Oxford |
| For Ages | 13-18 years |
| Duration | 2 weeks |
| Price | |
| Course Dates |
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Watch our Oxford Summer School highlights video to hear from students about the life-changing experience they had whilst attending our Oxford Summer School. See the amazing Oxford venues of our lessons, excursions and parties as students discuss meeting friends from all around the world whilst having an amazing educational experience.
In designing a programme to prepare the next generation of global leaders, we recognised that our educational offer must have at its heart solutions to climate change as humankind and its environment face unprecedented existential risks. This uniquely interdisciplinary course, drawing together global politics, leadership, and sustainability, offers conscientious young students from all over the world the opportunity to put their heads together in mapping out how we can win the race against extinction.
We pride ourselves on being the world’s most international summer school, having seen students of over 175 nationalities represented since our foundation in 2005. This is ideal for the purposes of this programme, as it allows for rich comparisons and debates surrounding different countries’ approaches to the existential threats posed by climate change, and fosters a spirit of international collaboration. Students will make friends to last a lifetime, and will be able to draw on this unique global network for years to come as they pursue careers in sustainability and development.
We are privileged to work with expert faculty in global sustainability and leadership. Students will benefit from their years of experience, as they partake in a highly interactive and inclusive learning environment which incorporates workshops, seminars, and debates. Tackling wide-ranging issues at the intersection climate change and international government over 20+ hours of intensive tuition per week, they will:
– Critically analyse the aims and methods of different strategies and climate change campaigns, including the Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN
– Confront popular myths about climate change, and address points of global contention through diplomatic debate and dialogue among peers
– Learn how to use research and monitoring methods, including qualitative data, to build a report or proposal for climate action
– Identify different political theories and ideologies from a perspective of climate action
Many of our attendees will be contemplating a career in a variety of high impact sectors. We endeavour to provide them with a solid foundation in both theoretical and practical skills, instilling in them the confidence to pursue their life’s ambitions. Students will:
– Identify and explore roles within high impact sectors, such as climate science, law, government, diplomacy, or sustainable enterprise
– Learn about the role of the business sector in climate action through drafting a sustainable business bid
– Engage in a mock United Nations summit on climate change, and draft their own charter of ‘2024 Oxford Accords’ – a list of ideas and innovations to tackle climate change globally
– Study and implement techniques and analytical methods for application in wildlife & biodiversity conservation and management
Global leadership, whether as a politician or a diplomat, a conservationist or a conscientious executive, requires not only expertise in one’s field, but also exceptional interpersonal or ‘soft’ skills. Both inside and outside of the classroom, students will benefit from ample opportunities to hone their leadership abilities – they will:
– Develop public speaking through regular debates, both in academic sessions and as part of our extracurricular debating society
– Practice negotiation and compromise through collaboration with students and professionals from a wide variety of international backgrounds
– Learn from the expertise of headline speakers, all of whom have achieved excellence as leaders in their respective fields
– Master time and project management abilities, whether working alone or as a member of a team towards formative deadlines
Effective learning is only possible through a harmonious balance of work and leisure time. We do our best to deliver students an enjoyable programme of extracurricular activities, so that they’ll have plenty of time to make great memories with their newfound friends. Our attendees will have the opportunity to:
– Enjoy a vibrant social calendar, including karaoke nights, talent shows, and team-building treasure hunts
– Participate in a wide range of sports suitable for all, from young athletes to total beginners
– Benefit from cultural excursions to sites around their campus and university town, including museum visits and walking tours
– Enjoy a thrilling day out to London or Bath
Responding to a need for ecological conscientiousness in politics, this programme prepares the next generation of leaders for responsible government. Students will conduct stakeholder analysis on political organisations and actors – concentrating, naturally, on climate change issues – and learn to design and measure the success of campaigns for sustainability. Our emphasis on dialogue and debate is key to preparing young people to take a fair and diplomatic approach towards global leadership matters.
Following participation in a UN Mock Summit, for which student-delegates will implement and apply the research and design methods they have studied, attendees will collaborate on formulating a charter to solve current global issues. They will analyse the issue and current actions, ideate solutions, and offer their unique recommendations, pulling together everything they have learned over the course of the two weeks.
Students will enjoy stepping back from their studies after a day’s hard work and going on culturally enriching excursions around the colleges and city of Oxford. These will include walking tours, museum trips, cinema trips, and recreational activities such as bowling. Over the mid-programme weekend, students will go on a day-trip to a nearby city such as London or Bath to imbibe quintessential British culture. In previous years, this has involved trips to the West End, and urban landmarks such as the London Eye or the Roman Baths.
Students at the world’s top universities work incredibly hard, but make no mistake: they don’t skimp on having fun to reward their efforts. Attendees of our Sustainability and the Environment Summer Programme will be able to let their air down and celebrate their hard work at two show-stopping events over the duration of the summer school: a mid-programme celebration, and a final formal graduation followed by a party at an illustrious venue.
Full timetable
To view a full sample timetable of our Climate, Politics, & Global Leadership Summer School for 16-18-year-olds, click here. For the 13-15 version, click here.
Typical Day
Week One
The programme will kick off bright and early on Monday with introductory seminars evaluating grand challenges posed by climate change and related sustainability issues, such as global hunger and diminishing water resources. These will continue throughout the week, moving on to cover plans of action across government, policy, economic management, conservation, and sustainable business practices. Students’ academic calendar will be interspersed with enrichment activities such as cultural excursions, study support and life skills workshops, and opportunities to hone public speaking skills through our debating society, meeting in the evenings. The week will wrap up with a Friday night mid-programme party, and over the weekend, students will enjoy an exciting day out to a London or Bath.
Week Two
Week two commences with a focus on practices related to wildlife and conservation, as well as ethical production, which will be sustained through a series of seminars throughout the week. In this time, students will also begin to conduct research towards drafting their ‘2024 Oxford Accords’, meeting in a mock UN Summit ahead of an end-of-course presentation session to determine the precise challenges and contentions their charters must tackle. Over these final days, students will also engage with location-wide events, such as the Oxford Royale Headline Address and the Debate Grand Final. Finally, after presenting on their innovations for the ‘Oxford Accords’, attendees will see their hard work rewarded at an illustrious graduation ceremony, followed by a final party where they’ll celebrate in style with their friends.
Residential in the prestigious colleges of the University of Oxford
Inspiring programmes taught by experts
A truly international environment - over 170 nationalities
Accommodation, meals (breakfast and dinner only for ages 16-18), tuition and cultural programmes included
Graduation, report cards and certificate
20+ hours tuition / week
Talks and debates with world-class guest speakers
Inspirational cultural programme, including excursions to historic UK locations
Whatever your motivation, our exceptional, inspiring, world-leading teachers can help you achieve more this summer. Our amazing array of talented tutors includes Oxbridge academics, Ivy League lecturers, groundbreaking medical researchers, glittering industry leaders, acclaimed authors, and more!
Dr Amy Booth
Medicine
Dr Amy Booth is a celebrated physician who graduated summa cum laude from the University of Cape Town. Now working towards a PhD at the University of Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship, she formerly worked with the World Health Organisation.
Dr Endrit Shabani
Law & Politics
A trained lawyer, Dr Endrit Shabani has a Doctorate in Politics from the University of Oxford where he studied with a full Clarendon scholarship. He has consulted for multiple international organisations including UNICEF, UN Women and the EU, and has taught Politics internationally.
Dr Claire Keene
Medicine
Dr Claire Keene is a public health clinician with a masters in International Health and Tropical Medicine from the University of Oxford. She is an experienced clinical trial manager, recently managing a Médecins Sans Frontières project on HIV and tuberculosis.
Bruce Windwood
Film Academy
Bruce Windwood is one of Oxford Royale’s most senior tutors, having helped design and develop our filmmaking classes. He is a multi-award winning filmmaker, a commissioned writer for TV and audio, and also composes soundtracks for film, audio, and TV content.
Dr Abdulazeez Imam
Medicine
Dr Imam, lecturer in Medicine, has over 14 years of clinical experience and a strong commitment to medical education. He completed a 6 year Paediatric programme in Nigeria and is currently studying for a PhD at the University of Oxford. He also holds an MSc in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of Leeds.
Dr Rehan Shah
Engineering
Dr Rehan Shah is a Lecturer in Engineering Education at Queen Mary University of London. He has completed a BEng in Mechanical Engineering with Business Finance at UCL with LSE, an MSc in Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing at the University of Oxford, and a PhD in Applied Mathematics at UCL.
Dr Anisa Butt
Business & Entrepreneurship
A member of the Oxford Royale team for 3 years, Dr Anisa Butt is a lecturer in economics at King’s College London. Currently completing a PhD in Economics from the University of Reading, her focus is on gender and ethnic income inequality.
Escape ordinary classroom teaching and learn through interactive and immersive lessons.
Hands-on classes designed to help students learn through practical application.
An interactive forum with an expert in the field, giving students valuable insights into related and new topics.
Successful and famous guest speakers offer students the chance to pose their most important questions.
Essential for honing students' reasoning abilities and public speaking skills.
Escape ordinary classroom teaching and learn through interactive and immersive lessons.
Dynamic lectures given by passionate teachers packed with facts and viewpoints to engage the audience.
An opportunity to work closely with, and learn from, different perspectives.
Working in pairs and small groups, students have plenty of opportunity for discussion and debate.
Apply the skills and knowledge gained throughout your two-week programme in an immersive full day simulation event.
The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology is one of the largest museums and art galleries in the UK. Home to fascinating examples of historic artefacts from across the globe, join Oxford Royale to discover examples of art and archaeology from across the globe.
Immerse yourself in British history through visits to incredible venues like the Oxford Museum of Natural History. Affiliated with the University of Oxford, this magical museum is home to centuries of Natural History, including the Oxford Dodo, the only surviving remains of dodo tissue to exist anywhere in the world!
Feel like a real student in Oxford and try your hand at punting, a type of rowing that uses a metal pole to push the boat forward! Relax in the sun and view Oxford’s stunning natural landscape as you punt along the Cherwell river.
Discover the UK’s most exciting city! From Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace to the Museum of Natural History and National Portrait Gallery, there are endless ways to be entertained. With luxury shopping and hundreds of restaurants, London is a must-visit location. This trip is for our 16-18 year old students.
“It’s incredible. I have met people from Lebanon, from Brazil, from all over the world. It’s so cool because everyone speaks a different language but we come together to speak to each other, and we get to learn so much about other people’s culture and life. I have never been to Oxford, but I really like it. It is such a historic city, but with all these young people together it is a very vivid city, it is very diverse. There are restaurants from every culture which is really cool.”Kira, Austria
“I had been to Oxford before, but now I am truly experiencing it. Seeing all the different colleges and campuses is absolutely amazing, as well as the city itself. It is great to see such old architecture still being used today, and being able to actually study here is amazing. My favourite memory was just walking around and exploring the city with friends. ”Edoardo, Italy
“I love the city. With Oxford Royale, you live in one place for two weeks and become knowledgeable about the city, but you also become part of a small community with the people you are living with, as you see them every day and develop close bonds. I had never been punting before, but it was so much fun! Our counsellor did the actual punting, and we spent the whole time laughing – even when we bumped into the river banks!”Yashvi, India
Hannah
I had an absolutely incredible time doing Summer school with Oxford Royale Academy! I learnt new things about myself and the world around me, and would definitely recommend to others!
Clara
I loved the Oxford Royal program, I met many people with bright personalities and unique minds, and I also learned a lot from the teachers, campus staff etc. You will enjoy it!
Francesca
Oxford Royals Academy made my summer amazing! I learned many new things and I met people from all over the world that I know I can call true friends. I definitely recommend ORA to anyone who wants to make unforgettable memories!
Minquan
The twelve days I spent in Oxford Summer School were very happy, the teachers were very kind and professional, and the curriculum was very reasonable, which expanded my knowledge. All the courses mean a lot to me and I hope I can come back next summer.
Jade
The oxford royale academy was definitely the highlight of my summer. I have not only learnt more about the course I have chosen, but I've also met a lot of new friends, friendly staff and helpful teachers from different cultures all in the same campus and had a lot of unforgettable memories.
Katherine
Oxford Royale was a great expreince. It was amazing to get to know people all over the globe and form life long relationships.
Once you have decided which programme you would like to attend, and where you would like to study, you can book online using our secure booking system. You will need the details of the student and of the person paying the bill, the name of the programme or programmes you would like to study, and a credit or debit card to pay the relevant enrolment fee.
We are happy to accept enrolment fee payments via a number of other, non-card payment methods (including domestic and international bank transfer), thanks to our partnership with education payment specialists, Flywire. If you would prefer to pay your enrolment fee payment by bank transfer or another method, please contact our Admissions team who will be able to assist you.
Once your application has been submitted, your enrolment fee has been received by us and your booking processed by our system or our team, you will be sent an email confirming your place. You will also receive a login to the Oxford Royale Portal, which you will use to provide us with important additional information about you as your time with us approaches.
A Welcome Pack is available to download from the Oxford Royale Portal.
If at any time you would like to discuss your booking with a member of our award-winning Customer Service team, please feel free to contact us.
All enrolments require an enrolment fee to secure the booking, which are structured as follows:
You may either pay the full programme fee when you book your place, or pay the enrolment fee and then settle the balance at a later date.
The balance clearance is required no later than 90 days before the start date of the programme. Where the student is booking less than 90 days before the start date, the programme fees must be covered in full. We appreciate that, with the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, people may require additional flexibility to these terms, and we are doing our best to accommodate that – please contact us if you have concerns regarding making the balance payment in line with the 90-day deadline.
Enrolments received via our online application form will require a debit or credit card payment of at least the enrolment fee. If you would like to pay your enrolment fee via Bank Transfer or another method, we are happy to facilitate this. Please contact our Admissions team to arrange this.
Balance payments for existing enrolments can be made via a number of methods, including domestic and international bank transfer, credit or debit card, as well as local payment options; please log in to the Oxford Royale Portal and click on the ‘Pay Now’ button on your booking details.
All programme fees include the following:
If you wish to change your programme or study options (including dates), please do not hesitate to contact us. However, changes to programmes are always subject to availability. For this reason, it may be more difficult for us to accommodate any changes requested less than 60 days before the programme start date.
Oxford Royale’s terms and conditions for refunds are as follows:
Any cancellation must be received in writing and can only be made on the following terms:
| Period Before Start Date | Total Refunded |
|---|---|
| 120+ days | 100% |
| 90-119 days | 50% |
| 45-89 days | 10% |
| 0-44 days | 0% |
Cancellations made after the commencement date of the programme will not receive any refund.
Our English language requirements are as follows:
Students who have studied at an English speaking school for two or more years are exempt from English requirements.
Yes, all students will be awarded an Oxford Royale Graduation Certificate upon satisfactory completion of the programme. This will be presented in a graduation ceremony on the final evening of the programme. In general, the graduation ceremony is for students only, but in certain cases, it might be possible for parents to attend on request. Due to limited seating and viewing facilities in the colleges, it is essential that parents contact the campus office well in advance to ascertain whether space is available.
All students will be well looked after, and security is carefully monitored on campus.
In order to leave campus students are required to sign out and sign themselves back in with a counsellor, and curfews are enforced on campus. Any issues that arise can be taken up with staff.
Students will also always be accompanied during lessons, trips, and excursions.
It is certainly possible to take more than one programme and combine a variety of study programmes. This can be done by enrolling on two different programmes. For example, you may wish to have two weeks on the Film Academy and then two more weeks on Architecture.
Students staying for two consecutive sessions will be provided with accommodation for the Saturday night, and their campus will provide supervised activities between their first session ending and second session starting. Should you have any queries about how to take more than one programme please do not hesitate to contact us.