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This summer school programme will give you a complete immersion into the topic of blockchain from world-leading experts and practitioners in the field at Europe’s No. 1 university in Blockchain education (ranking by CoinDesk 2022 and 2021). Blockchain-based systems, with cryptocurrencies as the most prominent example, have disrupted and reshaped the way we now think about digital finance and other similar applications, such as supply chains. Blockchain and related technologies allow to store sequential, trustful information without enforced consensus by central authorities or trustees.

For a full understanding of Blockchain, with all its implications and potential for application in practice, it is absolutely crucial to look at it from a multidisciplinary perspective. This is exactly what the UZH Blockchain Center offers during the three weeks of this course: you will understand the three key pillars of blockchain systems, namely the technology, the economics and the legal aspects behind it. Building on this, we will then explore other fields of application, such as forensics and data analytics.

The course is taught by different professors and lecturers from UZH and other leading universities worldwide, as well as top practitioners from various fields.
 

Flyer - Deep Dive into Blockchain (PDF, 2 MB)

Course Highlights

  • Comprehensive and Intensive Program: Over 40 lectures and a variety of interaction sessions in a highly engaging environment delivered across three weeks of interdisciplinary blockchain education
  • World-class Expertise: 60+ distinguished lecturers, including world-renowned academic experts, CEOs, CTOs, and other leaders of blockchain projects
  • Leading Blockchain Summer School: Recognized as the largest and most prestigious blockchain summer school, fostering a diverse learning environment with participants from over 60 countries
  • Industry Integration: Scholarships and program supports by leading blockchain foundations and institutions, including Cardano Foundation, The Hashgraph Association, DFINITY Foundation, BSV Association, Ethereum Foundation, Meta Pool, Bitget, and expanded with new partners every year
  • Proven Impact: A track record of over 500 alumni from over 70+ countries all over the world who have successfully completed the program, many of whom are advancing careers and driving innovation in the blockchain space world-wide

Key Points

Program Dates:       Sunday, 5 July  – Friday, 24 July 2026
Housing Dates: 4 July (12:00pm) – 25 July 2026 (12:00pm)
Format:       On-campus in Zurich, Switzerland (with offsite option - more information coming soon)
Hosting Institute:       

UZH Blockchain Center

Course Director: Prof. Dr. Claudio J. Tessone
Open to: Advanced Bachelor students, Master students, and early PhD candidates

 

Learning Outcomes

In this summer school, you will:

  • Gain a detailed understanding of how blockchain-based systems work, exploring their multidisciplinary aspects across technology, economics, and law
  • Understand the economic incentives as the basis of blockchain-based system
  • Develop the ability to critically assess design decisions in blockchain technologies
  • Learn from experts in academia and industry, and obtain hands-on experience in both established and advancing technologies
  • Pursue potential internship opportunities during the academic trips and industry-focused lectures

Entry Requirements

To participate in this summer school, you should meet the following entry requirements:

Study Level:

Advanced Bachelor students, who have completed their first year of study, as well as Master students and early PhD candidates. Other applicants might be admitted to the program "sur dossier".

Subject Areas: 

This course is of particular interest to students from the fields of Economics, Finance, Business, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics or Law. Students from other fields of study with a strong interest in the topic and Data Science who have a strong technical and analytical background are also welcome to apply.

Prior/Specific Knowledge:

Basic knowledge of programming is not required, but desirable.

English Language Requirements:

Applicants must possess a sufficient command of English to be able to actively contribute to classes. This needs to be visible from your motivation letter, previous studies or work experience.

 

Fees and Discounts

The regular fee for this summer school starts at 3,500 Swiss Francs (incl. accommodation).*

The tuition fee includes:

All teaching lessons (incl. live sessions, podcasts, group assignments etc.), academic trips, and the final assessment; accommodation; a comprehensive social program that will foster your intercultural competence; a final certificate and a transcript indicating the credits earned in the program.

Scholarships:

Generous discounts are available for students from certain partner universities and networks. Once we have received your full application, we will notify you of any potential discounts available to you.

We also offer different levels of industry scholarships based on merit and financial needs. Thanks to the financial support from our industry sponsors, we're excited to offer this opportunity to passionate students eager to dive into blockchain innovation. For more information please visit this page: DDiB – Industry Scholarships.

(Please note: Students from economically disadvantaged countries may have priority in applying, to encourage diversity and inclusion.)

 

Schedule and Classes

Lessons will be held daily (Monday – Friday) in the form of lecture sessions, hands-on sessions, and academic visits. Attendance and active participation in sessions is mandatory to successfully pass the program.

Beside the lectures and hands-on sessions, you will also work on several group assignments and a final project as evaluation. The expected workload for this summer school program is approx. 30 hours/week.

Please also take into account that you will have to prepare properly for this course before the start of the program. Instructions and a reading list will be sent by the end of May to all enrolled students.

Assessment

You will receive a Certificate of Completion and a Transcript of Records (stating your grade with “pass” or “fail”) at the end of the summer school. In order to get the 6 ECTS credits for this summer school, you will have to:

  • Prepare properly before the start of the program (estimated workload: max. 20 hours). Instructions and a reading list will be sent to you by the end of May.
  • Participate actively in the daily interactive sessions (hands-on sessions / Q&A / mentoring and wrap-up sesssions).
  • Participate in the academic visits.
  • Engage actively in your study group for the assignments and final project and submit them in time.

What is an off-site campus?

This course at the University of Zurich opens a new format of participation by providing students with the opportunity to travel to South Africa, and join the summer school program on an off-site campus. Off-site participants will attend sessions collectively at a designated classroom, creating an interactive learning environment. UZH staff (i.e. researchers and supervisors) will be on-site to coordinate the course and support students over the three weeks.

Students who join the program as off-site participants benefit from the aspects of the off-site format while still able to atttend a highly innovative and unique summer school course offered by Europe's leading university in Blockchain research and teaching.

More information can be found on our page "DDiB Global Experience in South Africa" (available soon!).

Course Organizers

Additional Information

Prof. Dr. Claudio Tessone

Course Director

Chairman of UZH Blockchain Center
Professor of Blockchain & Distributed Ledger Technologies at Department of Informatics
University of Zurich

Dr. Shengnan Li

Instructor

Member of UZH Blockchain Center
Postdoc of Blockchain & Distributed Ledger Technologies at Department of Informatics
University of Zurich

Parminder Kaur Makode

PhD student at Blockchain & Distributed Ledger Technologies Group
Department of Informatics
University of Zurich

Additional Information

Vetrivel, McMaster University (UZHISS 2025)

I expected the program to be very technical, but I discovered there’s so much more — regulation, economics, governance. Our diverse backgrounds made the learning experience truly rich.

Bashshar, Western University (UZHISS 2024)

In terms of industry exposure and sheer enjoyment, these three weeks have indeed been the best of my life. I highly recommend the course to anyone trying to level up in their career and down to have a good time.

Doha, Al Akhawayn University (UZHISS 2025)

It was very insightful to be introduced to Bitcoin and to work with it hands-on while networking with blockchain experts. My highlight of the program was definitely the industry part — we had lectures from experts, visited different companies and met with founders.