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International Remote Sensing Summer School 2026 (IRSSS 2026)
Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP)

Mountain river systems dynamics from a multisensor and multiscale perspective

Venue: Stará Lesná, Tatry Mountains, Slovakia

Date: 19. 7. 2026 - 24. 7. 2026

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Download A4 Flyer (PDF)

About IRSSS

The International Remote Sensing Summer School (IRSSS) is an advanced training programme for MSc. Or PhD students and early-stage researchers focusing on remote sensing and GIS applications in mountain river environments. The school integrates satellite, UAV, and field-based observations through lectures, hands-on data processing, and field demonstrations, with strong emphasis on multisensor (lidar, multi/hyperspectral, photography) data integration and reproducible scientific workflows.

IRSSS 2026 is organized as an Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) within the framework of KA131 – Mobility of Higher Education Students and Staff. The programme combines a mandatory virtual (online) component with a short-term physical mobility, fostering international, interdisciplinary, and practice-oriented learning. 

Applicants may also participate as self-funded participants; students who are not supported through the Erasmus+ BIP scheme are welcome to attend by covering their costs independently or through other institutional or personal funding sources.

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Erasmus+ BIP details

 

BIP title: International Remote Sensing Summer School 2026 (IRSSS 2026) — Mountain river systems dynamics from a multisensor and multiscale perspective

Mobility type: Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) (Higher Education mobility)


Receiving institution (host): Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice (UPJŠ), Faculty of Science, UPJŠ Košice, Šrobárova 2, 041 80 Košice, Slovakia (link: https://www.upjs.sk/prirodovedecka-fakulta/ )

Host department: Institute of Geography (Ústav geografie) (link: https://uge.science.upjs.sk/)

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Virtual component (mandatory): 6 July 2026 (online kick-off meeting 2 hours)
Platform: MS Teams
Evidence of participation: attendance sheet

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Physical mobility: 19–24 July 2026
Venue: Stará Lesná (Hotel Academia), High Tatras, Slovakia (link: https://kcacademia.sav.sk/)
Daily timing: starts Sunday 19 July 2026 at 09:00, ends Friday 24 July 2026 at 14:00

 

ECTS: 3 credits
Assessment method: Assessment is based on active participation and attendance in both the virtual and on-site components, and on the submission of a short individual assignment (6–8 slides in PDF) demonstrating understanding of one selected method or dataset presented during the summer school. Evaluation is on a pass/fail basis, and successful completion leads to the award of 3 ECTS credits.

Target group: MSc and PhD students, early-stage researchers + academic staff for training (STT)
Erasmus identifiers of the host (UPJŠ):

  • Erasmus code: SK KOSICE02

  • OID (Organisation ID): E10209027

  • PIC: 999885992

Partner Institutions

The programme is jointly organized by an international consortium of higher education and research institutions:

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  • Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice (UPJŠ), Slovakia – Coordinating institution (Host)

  • Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

  • University of Cagliari, Italy

  • Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV), Rome, Italy

  • Institute of Geography, Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS), Slovakia

  • Palacký University Olomouc, Czechia

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The consortium ensures academic quality, international diversity, and strong links between education and research.

Programme Objectives & Learning Outcomes

Programme Objectives

The main objective of IRSSS 2026 is to provide advanced theoretical and practical training in remote sensing, geoinformatics, and multisensor data integration, with emphasis on real-world applications and international collaboration.

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Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of the programme, participants will be able to:

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  1. Apply advanced methods for processing and analysing LiDAR and hyperspectral remote sensing data.

  2. Integrate multisensor geospatial datasets for environmental and landscape analysis.

  3. Use specialized software tools (LAStools, MultiSpec, QGIS, R) within structured and reproducible analytical workflows for processing and analysing remote sensing data.

  4. Collaborate effectively in international and interdisciplinary teams.

Physical Mobility Programme (On-site)

Sunday – Arrival and Orientation

  • Registration and welcome session

  • Introduction of partner institutions, local authorities

  • Overview of scientific objectives, workflows, and expected outputs

  • Logistics, organization of the school

  • Introduction of the participants

  • Informal welcome dinner

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Monday – UAV SfM Photogrammetry and Field Mapping (GÚ SAV Bratislava)​

  • Introduction to the study area: High Tatras and mountain river systems

  • River morphology and riparian zones as coupled geomorphic–environmental systems (field trip)

  • Explain basics of remote sensing (INGV)

  • Forest fire pre/post event management using satellite data or Sentinel-2 for river corridors 

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Tuesday – Multi/Hyperspectral mapping environmental mapping (INGV)

  • Introduction of Hyperspectral satellite missions (HS: PRISMA, EnMAP; MS: ECOSTRESS, EMIT) 

  • Field spectrometry and processing using custom spectral libraries 

  • Classification of HS data

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Wednesday – UAV Lidar and Hyperspectral Mapping (UPJŠ)​

  • Fundamentals of UAV lidar for mountain environment

  • Scan geometry, point density, and ground–vegetation separation logic

  • Field mapping and UAV LiDAR & HS demonstration:​

  • Lidar preprocessing, classification, and derivation of DTM, DSM, and CHM

  • UAV hyperspectral data preprocessing and exploratory analysis

  • Interpretation of structural and spectral variability 

  • Linking lidar-derived structure with hyperspectral information

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Thursday – Structure-from-Motion, surface reconstruction, and sediment-related analysis (GÚSAV)

  • Fundamentals of UAV-SfM

  • Field mapping and UAV demonstration​

  • SfM processing: point cloud, DEM, and orthomosaic generation

  • Quality assessment (GCP residuals, artefacts, resolution effects)

  • Image-based analysis of sediment surface characteristics and texture

  • Documentation of workflows for scientific reproducibility

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Friday – ​Civil Protection and Environmental Risk with Copernicus (UNICA + INGV)

  • Civil & Environmental Protection (PL–SK Border): Expert session on cross-border risk management in the Tatra region.

  • Copernicus for the Tatras: Lectures and hands-on use of Copernicus services for fires, floods, landslides, and avalanches.

  • Student feedback & afternoon departure.

  • Feedback from students (questionnaire)

  • Departure in the afternoon

Accommodation
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Accommodation and meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) will be provided at Hotel Academia, Stará Lesná, and are included in the application fee.

Participants with special dietary requirements (e.g. medical diets, food intolerances, vegan diets) are kindly requested to indicate these in the application form in advance.

More information about the venue is available at: https://kcacademia.sav.sk/

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The venue is reachable via:

  • Flights to Košice, Bratislava, Kraków, Ostrava, or Poprad–Tatry airports

  • Train connections to Poprad (Poprad-Tatry)

  • Organised transfer to Stará Lesná will be provided by the host

Detailed travel instructions will be provided to accepted participants.

Key Dates and Deadlines

Date: 19 - 24 July, 2026.
The School will start at 9:00am on Sunday 19 and will end at 2:00pm on Friday 24.
Application deadline: March 31, 2026.
Admission to the school: The acceptance of the application will be communicated by April 15, 2026.

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APPLICATION FORM as WORD or PDF file.

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Application

Eligibility:

  • MSc students

  • PhD candidates

  • Early-stage researchers (academic staff)

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Application process:

1.     Apply through the summer school form (to be announced by 20 February).

  • Submit: Short motivation statement, CV

2.    Obtain Erasmus+ nomination and funding approval from your home institution.

Places are limited and selection will be based on motivation, background relevance, and institutional balance.

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What to Bring

  • Personal laptop (minimum 8 GB RAM recommended)

  • Outdoor clothing suitable for mountain conditions

  • Hiking shoes

  • Rain protection

  • Power adapter if needed for laptop/mobile

Participants should be prepared for moderate outdoor activity during field sessions.

Costs

The application fee of 450 EUR includes accommodation and meals at the venue from 19 to 24 July 2026, as well as all teaching-related expenses, including local transport to field mapping sites. Participants are responsible for their own travel costs to and from Poprad (railway station). A transfer from Poprad to Stará Lesná (Hotel Academia) will be provided.

The application fee is VAT included, to be paid to OZ Prírodovedec (NGO) by May 31, 2026.

Organising team (irsss2026@upjs.sk)

assoc. prof. Michal Gallay (UPJŠ, Slovakia) — Program coordinator

Dr. Katarína Onačillová (UPJŠ, Slovakia)

Dr. Michaela Nováková (UPJŠ, Slovakia)

Dr. Ján Šašak (UPJŠ, Slovakia)

prof. Jaroslav Hofierka (UPJŠ, Slovakia)

assoc. prof. Maria Teresa Melis (University of Cagliari / UNICA, Italy)

Dr. Massimo Mussachio (National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, INGV, Italy)

Dr. Miloš Rusnák (Institute of Geography, Slovak Academy of Sciences / SAS, Slovakia)

Dr. Lukáš Michaleje (Institute of Geography, Slovak Academy of Sciences / SAS, Slovakia)

Organizers
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Contact us

Address

© 2022 Institute of Geography

Faculty of Science

Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice

Phone: +421 55 2342590

Email: pf-sekretariat-uge@upjs.sk

Institute of Geography

Jesenná 5

040 01 Košice

Slovakia

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