Blended Intensive Programmes (BIP) | Exploring the traditional food and wine production and local heritage: Present and future. University of la Rioja

University of La Rioja (Spain) together with our EU-GIFT partners from University of Eszterházy (Hungary), University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca (Romania), University of Tras-os-Montes and Alto Douro (Portugal) and University of Verona (Italy) is organizing a joint summer school, which will take place in Logroño (Spain) in June 2026.

The course will be focus on traditional food and wine production and local heritage. Traditional food and wine production is increasingly recognised as a powerful driver of cultural identity, local sustainability, rural development, tourism development, and community resilience. Many regions face a risk of losing traditional tastes and practices due to homogenised global food culture. This concern drives the renewed interest in analyse the opportunities and future of traditional products. Recent research shows a strong global move toward reconnecting with heritage while adapting to changing economic, social, and environmental pressures.

This course is part of the activities developed by the EU-GIFT University Alliance, the Europe-an University for Geographical Identity as a driver for Food systems Transition to sustainabil-ity, that unites seven Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The EU-GIFT Alliance focuses on addressing the skills, research, and innovation requirements inherent in the production of foods and beverages bearing a geographical identity within the European Union.

The program consists of a one-day online event with a preparation task for the students and a five-day in-person event in Logroño. The course includes both academic lectures and technical visits to food and wine producers in La Rioja. Technical visits are organized with the collaboration of European Centre for Rural Information and Promotion in La Rioja.

Location: University of La Rioja, Spain
Attendance: Present event 
Date: June 22th to 26th, 2026
Format: Blended : 1 meeting online and 5-days on site
Number of participants: 14
Target Group: Students and Staff from universities
Contact: Prof. Dr. Elena González Fandos | elena.gonzalez@unirioja.es