Time is running out to book a place on a world-renowned summer school, which sets the pace in investigating alternative options to current economic models.

The Vienna-based Alternative Economic and Monetary Systems (AEMS) programme challenges the norm and puts fresh ideas and perspectives under the spotlight – looking into an alternative approach to the current boom and bust pattern encountered around the world.

This year the summer university celebrates its sixth year – and with high profile academics, a global perspective and thought-provoking debate, the programme promises to be the best to date.

The application deadline for the 2019 programme is June 30. More details about AEMS can be found at https://summer-university.net/study-abroad/aems-vienna/

Last year, 61 people from 34 different nations – aged from 20 to 56 years – took part in the two-and-a-half week long summer school.

This year, AEMS takes place in the Austrian capital between July 24 and August 9 and, with the programme and all social activities carried out entirely in English, it offers a great opportunity for students from the UK and Ireland to take part.

AEMS is run in association with Vienna’s BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences and the Economy for the Common Good.

Previous guest lecturers have included the initiator of the Economy for the Common Good, Christian Felber, named in the Big Issue’s 2019 Top 100 Business Changemakers.

The OeAD-Housing Office – part of Austria’s national agency for international mobility and cooperation in education, science and research – operates AEMS under a not-for-profit arrangement.

The accommodation is included as part of the fee for almost a week after the programme, enabling those taking part to explore the city at leisure.

Günther Jedliczka, CEO of the OeAD-Housing Office, said: “AEMS is needed now more than ever as we face turbulent times around the globe.

“The programme covers climate change from an environmental and economic perspective and specifically focuses on the many possible solutions for these global problems.

“In order to mitigate the effects of climate change, we need to reconsider the system we currently live in.

“The ability to look at that from a wide-ranging perspective is what makes AEMS so unique.

“Climate protection is a challenge which concerns all of us, regardless of the country we live in.

“The global make-up of participants on the programme provides a great opportunity to look at this from an international viewpoint.”

AEMS also looks at life-work balance, ethics and sustainability.

The focus is on looking at ways to address the issues the world faces, rather than debating what is wrong.

Mr Jedliczka, added: “Students leave with a clear sense of purpose, a valuable network of like-minded individuals and the knowledge and experience of a subject that will only become more important in time.”

As well as AEMS, the OeAD-Housing Office also runs the Green.Building.Solutions course (GBS), which brings together the latest thinking in sustainable design and engineering. GBS takes place in 2019 from July 20 to August 11.