FAQ

What is Cortona Week?

Cortona Week is a transdisciplinary seminar that takes place annually in the beginning of September. It is organized by ETH Zurich, in cooperation with the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). Since 1985, approximately 100 Master or PhD students, and some 30 professors gather in Cortona, Tuscany in Italy for a full week of discourse towards “Science and Wholeness of Life” through the exchange of ideas and fostering intercultural competence.

For further information, please read the questions and answers below or any of the links above.

When and where does Cortona Week take place?

Cortona Week 2013 takes place from 07 September to 14 September 2013 at the Hotel Oasi Neumann in the charming Tuscany town of Cortona, Italy.

What are the main topics of Cortona Week?

A special yearly title focuses on the contributions of well-selected, distinguished speakers and workshop leaders from the natural sciences, humanities, arts and politics, as well as from religion and spirituality.

The topic of Cortona Week 2013 is “NON_LOCAL”.

Previous years' topics can be found in our Archive section.

What does a typical day during Cortona Week look like?

The early morning program starts with practical self-awareness exercises such as singing, meditation or Taiji (also known as Tai Chi). It is followed by a section of learning-by-listening through plenary lectures and panel discussions. After lunch together, two blocks of experimental workshops of about 15 different action fields are offered, fostering the learning-by-doing part. One last block in the evening is reserved for theoretical interactions in small groups in order to reinforce topics of special interest, which may be preselected or spontaneously invoked during the morning lectures.

How is Cortona Week structured?

Cortona Week has the form of a campus, which fosters interdisciplinary exchange in most variable ways. Bodywork and intellectual activities receive the same kind of attention. The overall concept of the week aims at widening personal perspectives and enhancing creativity in order to amplify personal judgment and leadership qualities.

How is Cortona Week arranged?

The approach of Cortona Week is arranged in a way that students can gain experience beyond their ordinary fields of interest by having the ability to select their own personal set of activities from a variety of choices during the event.

Can I get University Credit Points for attending Cortona Week?

PhD students at ETH can receive 3 credit points for participating the whole week. Please submit your Course Attendance Confirmation Sheet (Testatbogen) to be signed by Prof. Nesper when you are back in Zurich.

Can I find a list of Speakers and Workshop leaders for this year’s Cortona Week?

Yes, please follow this link.

How can I register?

The number of participants is limited to 140. Registration will be on a first-come first-served basis and open until the end of June.

It may also be possible to be put on a waiting list after the registration deadline, but participation is not guarantee. Please contact us if you have passed the deadline and would like to be put on the waiting list.

ETH and ZHdK students can register now for Cortona Week online.

Students from the IDEA League partner universities who would like to participate in Cortona Week should first register with their institute’s Cortona Week/Summer School contact person. For a list of IDEA League partner universities please follow this link. Once that is done, they should book online if they wish to take part in the group bus travel from Florence to Cortona.

Other prospective students and participants may be able to take part in Cortona Week by sending their request through e-mail.

Please be sure to register as soon as possible, since places are limited. Again, registration is open until the end of June.

How much does it cost to attend Cortona Week as an ETH or ZHdK student?

ETH and ZHdK Master students pay a reduced fee of CHF 360.-; ETH and ZHdK PhD students pay a reduced fee of CHF 560.-. These fees include the return group-travel from Zurich to Cortona, as well as the default accommodation of sharing a room at the Hotel Oasi with 3 or 4 other participants. There are no additional charges for these students.

Students are responsible for their own cost of of travel, when they opt-out of the group travel.

If students choose to stay in a 2-person room or a room outside of Hotel Oasi, the price will be higher.

More information and clarification can be found in the Accommodation or Travel sections.

How much does it cost to attend Cortona Week as a student attending a university that is a member of IDEA League?

Students from the IDEA League partner universities attending Cortona Week as part of the summer school exchange program must pay for the cost of travel to and from Cortona. There are no additional fees, unless the student chooses a different accommodation method than the default. These students can also take advantage of the discounted return group-travel fee from Zurich to Cortona (CHF 300.-) or Florence to Cortona (CHF 60.-). For more information, please jump to the Travel fees or Travel section.

How much does it cost for other students to attend Cortona Week?

Other students must pay a registration fee of CHF 1000.-, plus the applicable travel fee and the applicable room and board fee. Please check those pages to see more information about these fees.

Can ETH Alumni participate? How much does it cost for Alumni?

Absolutely. Alumni from ETH must pay a registration fee of CHF 1500.-, plus the applicable travel fee and the applicable room and board fee. Please check those pages to see more information about the fees.

How much does it cost for non-students and non-Alumni to attend Cortona Week?

Other participants must pay a registration fee of CHF 2000.-, plus the applicable travel fee and the applicable room and board fee. Please check those pages to see more information about the fees.

Is there a Cancellation Fee?

Yes. Cancellation fees are as followed:

If you find a person who takes over the booked arrangement so that we only have to change the name in the lists (for the reimbursement, credit card commission, administrative fees, etc.), the fee is CHF 100.-.

If we find someone from our waiting list to take over your spot (can be done only until the end of July), the fee is CHF 250.-.

If you only cancel from the beginning of August, you will be charged the total costs of the booked arrangement.

How can I pay for my fees?

The total amount for all fees must be paid at the time of (online) registration through a credit card (Visa, MasterCard) or a Maestro/EC Card; unfortunately, our payment database does not take PostFinance cards yet. Swiss residents, however, can request an invoice (Einzahlungsschein) and transfer the money electronically.

How do I get there?

Most participants of Cortona Week will travel through the prearranged return group-travel option. Please follow the link for more information about the group travel arrangement, including dates, times and fees.

Is it possible to travel on my own?

Yes. If you are not able to travel with the group, you can get to Cortona on your own. Please consult our Travel section, the Hotel Oasi Neumann Website (under the section "Where We Are"), or the Cortona Tourist Information's homepage for information on how to get to the venue by train, car or airplane.

The nearest railway stations in Cortona are Terontola-Cortona or Camucia-Cortona. The nearest airports are Firenze (Florence) Peretola or Perugia San Francesco d'Assisi (formerly Perugia Sant’Egidio).

You can also consult the Italian National Railway Website (Trenitalia) or your respective (European) national railway's website for more travel itineraries to Cortona.

We find that the Swiss National Railway Website (SBB) and the German National Rail Website (DB) are useful for information about different train itineraries to Cortona.

Additional, travel websites such as Skyscanner or Expedia (i.e.: expedia.de) are also helpful in searching for flights itineraries to Cortona. 

How much are the travel fees?

For ETH and ZHdK students, the travel fees are included in the reduced fee if they travel with the group from Zurich to Florence by train, and Florence to Hotel Oasi by bus. Other travel options will incur a separate fee, which is the responsibility of the students.

Students from the IDEA League partner universities must pay for the travel fee on their own, and the prices varies according to their departure points. As mentioned, these students, however, can also take advantage of the discounted return group-travel from Zurich to Cortona or Florence to Cortona. The fees are CHF 300.- and CHF 60.-, respectively.

Where do I stay during Cortona Week?

Most participants will stay at the event's venue, which is the Hotel Oasi Neumann, located just 700 meters from Cortona’s Etruscan walls with panoramic view of the town, Valdichiana and Trasimeno Lake.

For more information about Hotel Oasi or other accommodation option, please consult their Website or go to our Accommodation & Venue page.

Is it possible to have a room that is more private?

Yes. If you wish to have a room that is more private, we can arrange a single room for you. Unfortunately, individual rooms are not possible at the Hotel Oasi, although 2-bed rooms are available. Please note that the nearest hotel where we can arrange for individual rooms is a 20 minute walk from the venue.

What are the different fees for the accommodation?

Students from ETH, ZHdK and the University of IDEA Leagues do not pay an additional fee to the ones that are already mentioned above.

For other participants (students, alumni, non-students and non-alumni), the fees are stated below. The costs are per person and include room and full-board, plus beverages during the meals and breaks at the event. Not included are the meals on Wednesday (where there will be free time available) and lunch on the Saturday of departure.

3- or 4-bed room CHF 560. –
2-bed room CHF 960. –
Single rooms (not in Hotel Oasi) CHF 1500. –

Additional questions?

If you have additional questions that weren't answered, please feel free to e-mail us your inquiries.