Beyond Research: Reflections from the IPPAE Retreat 2026 [13.05.26]
Department members Marisol Galicia Ramirez and Nuray joined researchers and faculty at the IPPAE Retreat 2026 in Bad Liebenzell, Germany.
Participants of the IPPAE Retreat 2026. Photo: Kaka Soyunmyradov.
From 8–10 May, our department members Marisol Galicia Ramirez and Nuray Duman participated in the IPPAE Retreat 2026 held at the International Forum Burg Liebenzell in Bad Liebenzell, Germany.
The retreat brought together researchers from the International PhD Program for Agricultural Economics, Bioeconomy and Sustainable Food Systems for several days of discussion, reflection and exchange. While the program included sessions on research writing, project management, networking, intercultural communication and the role of artificial intelligence in academic work, the retreat also created space for more personal and open conversations around the realities of academic life.
Reflecting on the experience, Marisol highlighted how valuable it was to spend time with researchers from different disciplinary and cultural backgrounds while discussing both the opportunities and challenges of research in international academic environments. One particularly meaningful session explored research ethics through a decolonial lens, encouraging participants to think critically about knowledge production, positionality and sustainability research practices.
The retreat also included conversations with former IPPAE researchers, who shared their academic and professional journeys after completing the program. For many participants, these exchanges helped make future academic and non-academic career paths feel more tangible and diverse.
Beyond the formal sessions, the atmosphere of the retreat was shaped by everyday interactions — conversations during walks, coffee breaks and meals, moments of reflection, and opportunities to simply spend time together outside the usual pace of academic work.
Experiences like these remind us that research communities are built not only through publications and projects, but also through dialogue, mutual learning and supportive academic spaces.
