Islands as Lighthouses for Sustainability (ISLAS): Applications for Sustainability, Marine and Land Planning on Islands
The 5th edition of the ISLAS (Islands and Sustainability) International Summer School was successfully held on the island of Lesvos, Greece, from 2 to 12 July 2026, marking its return to the place where the initiative first began. This was the fifth edition overall and the fourth to be held in person, reaffirming ISLAS as an established international programme dedicated to island sustainability and spatial planning.
This year’s Summer School brought together 43 students and early-career researchers from 29 countries: Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Ecuador, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Latvia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Pakistan, the Philippines, Serbia, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and the United States. Among the participants were many students from the Spatial Sciences Research Master, ISLANDS MSc, and MESPOM international master’s programmes.
The Summer School was coordinated by Professor Thanasis Kizos (University of the Aegean) and Professor Dimitris Ballas (University of Groningen and former faculty member of the Department of Geography, University of the Aegean). The programme was delivered as an Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), combining online preparatory activities with an intensive face-to-face programme on Lesvos.
The academic programme included lectures, spatial analysis computer laboratories using geospatial data, field excursions, collaborative project work and social activities, providing participants with a comprehensive and interdisciplinary learning experience. The Summer School concluded on a celebratory note, with many participants taking part in the 4th Mytilene Night Run, followed by a farewell social event.
Throughout both the online preparatory phase and the in-person programme, participants carried out research on key issues related to marine and terrestrial spatial planning in island environments, addressing topics such as socio-economic adaptation, environmental sustainability and cultural resilience. By applying advanced spatial data and analytical methods, participants strengthened their research skills and presented the outcomes of their work through both group presentations and individual reports.
The group projects covered a wide range of themes and island contexts, including coastal zone management on Pantelleria (Italy), spatial pressures in Tenerife’s Whale Heritage Area, marine-based ecotourism in Belitung Island (Indonesia), tourism and land-use change on O’ahu (Hawai’i), the relationship between tourism and sea turtle conservation on Zakynthos (Greece), and coastal zone management and tourism pressures in Malta.
ISLAS is a joint initiative of the University of Groningen, the University of the Aegean, the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the University of Iceland, and the ISLANDS MSc programme. The initiative builds upon a long-standing collaboration among the partner institutions that began on Lesvos more than a decade ago.
Since its launch in 2021, the Summer School has been hosted in Lesvos (2021 – online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and 2022), Gran Canaria (2023), Bali (2024), Iceland (2025), and returned this year to Lesvos, highlighting once again the island’s important role as an international hub for research and education on island sustainability. The next edition of ISLAS will take place in the Faroe Islands in 2027.
The organizers extend their sincere thanks to all participants and members of the teaching staff for their outstanding commitment and contribution to the success of the Summer School, including the preparation and delivery of the online learning activities that preceded the in-person programme. Special thanks are due to George Tsilimingas, Eva Demertzi, Sofia Zafeirelli, Haiyun Xu, Efi Chatzi, Sissal Dahl, and Aya Yousef for their valuable academic and teaching contributions. The organizers also gratefully acknowledge the University of Groningen Summer/Winter School teams for their invaluable organizational and administrative support throughout the preparation and implementation of the programme.
The ISLAS Organising Committee
