Summer Institute in Systemic Risks, Cascades and Tipping Points in Split

16 January 2026

Photo: © Universität Augsburg

Prof. Jana Sillmann and Dr. Benjamin Blanz travelled to Split, Croatia, to teach at the Summer Institute in Systemic Risks, Cascades and Tipping Points (CASCADE), a flagship initiative of European/Canadian institutions, focusing on meta-crisis such as climate change, pandemics, geopolitical risks, and disruptions in global supply chains of critical resources. CASCADE is organized jointly by the University of Split (Croatia), the University of Waterloo (Canada), the University of Augsburg (Germany), the University of Graz (Austria), the University of Hamburg (Germany), the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Germany). It is initiated by the Risk-Knowledge Action Network (Risk-KAN) and carried out as an Erasmus Blended Intensive Program (BIP).

The Summer Institute took place from October 17th to 26th, 2025, at the Mediterranean Institute for Life Sciences (MedILS) at the University of Split. 25 Master and Ph.D. students from different European countries came together for ten days and gained foundational knowledge on key system concepts and approaches by preparatory readings, plenary sessions, and keynotes. Hands on training involved group work on different systems. The module investigating the climate and food systems, co-supervised by Prof. Sillmann, examined the impact of positive narratives on sustainable food choices in the European Mediterranean region. The energy systems module, co-supervised by Dr. Blanz, investigated the cascading impacts of electricity blackouts on several systems that ensure the provision of basic goods and services. This analysis was applied to two case studies: the 2021 Texas blackout and the 2025 Spain blackout. The island module examined the cascading effects of tourism on Brač’s waste management system and how these effects might change in the future due to continued population growth. The water systems module investigated the collapse of Split's local infrastructure during the July 2025 storm event.

From the Research Unit Sustainability and Climate Risks, the Summer Institute was attended by Jihye Jong, Yigit Uckan, and Nicole Acosta, who used the opportunity to learn about systemic risks and systems thinking and to make connections with their international peers.