We are excited to announce the secondTWIN2EXPAND Intensive Summer School themed: Advanced Spatial Network Modelling for Social-ecological Urbanism, taking place between 2 to 13 June 2025, in Nicosia, Cyprus.

About

The Twin2Expand Summer School 2025 offers an intensive two-week program focused on advanced and innovative approaches to urban spatial analysis. Hosted in Nicosia, Cyprus, and organized by the SURF Lab at the University of Cyprus in collaboration with UCL and Chalmers, the Summer School brings together researchers and professionals to explore tools, methods, and frameworks supporting evidence-based design and urban planning.

Focus

In line with Twin2Expand’s mission to promote evidence-based urban design and planning, this year’s edition will be split into two themes:

• Basic python for GIS, advanced spatial network modelling and scenario modelling.
• Social-ecological urbanism, integrating ecological data into spatial planning, accessibility to green spaces and habitat connectivity

Case Study

The case study will be the Pedieos Linear Park in Nicosia and proposed interventions aimed at enhancing the park’s biodiversity. Participants will explore the social-ecological approach to planning and design, developing an understanding of the need for parks and
urban spaces to be co-inhabited by diverse species of flora and fauna and not only designed for humans.

Week 1: Automation in Urban Analysis (2–6 June 2025)

Participants will receive hands-on training in using Python for GIS, with a focus on:

• Automatic street network retrieval and analysis
• Scenario modelling using python and space syntax methodology
• Working with open data and spatial datasets
• Lecture on the social-ecological approach, ecological data and biodiversity

This week includes a site visit along Nicosia’s Linear Park.

Week 2: Socio-Ecological Urbanism (9–13 June 2025)

This week delves into the interdependencies between urban form, ecology (including humans, animals, and the natural environment), and society, including:

• Application of socio-ecological frameworks to urban case studies
• Exploration of habitat connectivity and accessibility to green spaces
• Integration of ecological data and spatial analysis in QGIS, using the social-ecological approach

The final day will feature:

• Participants presentations to relevant local stakeholders
• Public exhibition of participants’ work

Eligibility

Open to postgraduate students, early career researchers, and urban professionals interested in spatial data science, social-ecological resilience, and evidence-based urban design. There is no need for prior knowledge of Python, but applicants must have basic knowledge of QGIS.

How to Apply

• Applications open until 30th April 2025
• Fill in the application form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdofk4Ad3r9AjRyxvNsY6Ovi_w45rsLcrtYkRIXkdL3cJGaEg/viewform?usp=dialog
• Working language: English

Organizers & Tutors

• UCL: Gareth Simons, Sepehr Zhand, Kayvan Karimi
• CHALMERS: Meta Berghauser Pont, Ahmed Hazem Eldesoky, Flavia Lopes
• UCY: Nadia Charalambous, Ilaria Geddes, Iason Ziro, Walid Abdeldeayem

Other Information

• Working Language: English
• The Summer School is free of charge
• Unfortunately we cannot provide funding for travel and accommodation
• Some preparatory work is required for those who did not attend the 2024 school