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The International European Summer University 2009 will take place in Poitiers from 1 October to 4 October 2009 at the Espace Mendes-France. It will fall between the scope of the previous editions and will support, through reflections on the conditions of the exhaustion of a model of development, the emergence of a complex thinking together with an ensemble of steps which are marked by trans-disciplinarity, by the confrontation between researchers and political decision makers and by a will of openness to our fellow citizens. The interest that we have in complex thinking is two-fold. Firstly, we are concerned about the deep knowledge that we can benefit from and the potential of experiences which will spring from it. Secondly, the intrinsic value of this University, is that it constitutes a big step towards the network of knowledge; in a situation which was until now characterized by the dialogue of knowledge. The interest of the first kind works at two levels. The second works at the global level, where interdependence and diversity have become the determinant features. When a system is not able to treat its vital problems, to create a meta-system suitable for dealing with these problems, it deteriorates and disintegrates.

The International Summer University benefits from the dynamics of an international network which links many individualities coming from every horizon of research, higher education and intellectual reflection. This slow movement, coming from a long history of texts which were produced through a deep reflection, is now joining the worries of numerous institutions whose strategies are facing both the scientific pertinence of the analysis and of the gap with many spheres of society.

The programme takes into account all these factors and the modalities of its setting up must allow to switch from theoretical exposés to accounts and evidences in a coherent way. Moreover, it gives the floor to individualities without forgetting their institutions of origin, promotes the collective debate and the contribution in small groups (reflection circles) and enables fruitful confrontations not thanks to the eventual answers but because to the progress on the conditions of approaching universal problems. The reflection circles are a space of conversation where we will exchange points of view about one theme. The role of these circles is to enable to the participants to collectively elaborate a “conceptual matrix” of a multidimensional policy of civilisation. This approach will arouse the debate on seven global challenges and build a collective reflection which will lead to a collective publication.