ESSA Summer School 2026: Introduction to Agent-Based Modelling

As part of the European Social Simulation Association's life-long learning strategy, the ESSA Summer School 2026 will take place from Monday 17 to Friday 21 August 2026 at the James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen. Led by Gary Polhill, this one-week intensive course offers an introduction to agent-based modelling (ABM), connecting theories of complex systems with practical model design, programming, and experimentation in NetLogo.

Participants will learn how agent-based models can represent heterogeneous actors, dynamic environments, and emergent socio-ecological patterns. The course combines conceptual theory, coding exercises, and group projects to help participants understand the purpose, design, and implementation of ABMs for socio-environmental systems.

Key themes include:

• Complex systems thinking and agent-based theory
• Translating conceptual systems into computational models
• Programming ABMs in NetLogo and developing clear model structures
• Setting up experiments, analysing results, and communicating model findings

The summer school is designed for PhD students, researchers, and practitioners interested in modelling socio-ecological systems, environmental policy, behavioural dynamics, and other complex adaptive systems.

The early-bird fee must be paid by 31 March 2026.
The final deadline for summer school registration is 31 July 2026.

* An early-career researcher refers to an individual within seven years (full-time equivalent) of completing their PhD.

The summer school will include guest lectures from leading researchers in agent-based modelling, providing participants with insights into cutting-edge applications and examples of what agent-based models can achieve in empirical and applied research contexts.

Professor Alison Heppenstall (University of Glasgow)

Professor Alison Heppenstall is Professor of Geocomputation at the University of Glasgow, where her research focuses on spatial agent-based modelling, microsimulation, and computational social science. Her work sits at the interface of geography, social science, and data science, with particular emphasis on modelling complex urban, social, and environmental systems. She has contributed extensively to methodological developments in agent-based modelling, including uncertainty analysis, data assimilation, and the integration of machine learning approaches, and has led and participated in a wide range of interdisciplinary projects applying ABM to real-world policy-relevant questions.

Dr Sarah Wise (University College London)

Dr Sarah Wise is Associate Professor at the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis (CASA), University College London, specialising in agent-based modelling and computational approaches to understanding human behaviour in spatial systems. Her research applies ABM to empirical problems such as transport and freight dynamics, evacuation modelling, urban mobility, and public health, often integrating simulation models with spatial data and open datasets. She has a strong interest in the practical challenges of designing, implementing, and scaling agent-based models for applied and policy-relevant research whose work combines programming and agent-based modelling with spatial and urban analytics. Her research uses ABM to study real-world applied problems such as transport, freight and evacuation dynamics, and she has written on practical challenges of modelling at different scales.

Venue:
The summer school will be held at the James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen, UK — a leading institute for interdisciplinary research in environment, food, and society.
Website: https://www.hutton.ac.uk

Accommodation:
Participants are responsible for arranging their own accommodation in Aberdeen. A wide range of hotels and short-term rentals are available across the city.

In addition, participants may wish to consider more affordable student accommodation provided by Robert Gordon University (RGU) in Aberdeen, subject to availability. Further information can be found at:
https://www.rgu.ac.uk/life-at-rgu/accommodation/our-accommodation

Getting to Aberdeen:

• By Train: Aberdeen railway station is well connected to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London via ScotRail and LNER services.
• By Air: Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ) is approximately 20 minutes from the city by taxi or bus.
• By Bus: Long-distance coach services connect Aberdeen to major UK cities.

Getting to the James Hutton Institute:

By Taxi:
The James Hutton Institute
Craigiebuckler
Aberdeen AB15 8QH
United Kingdom

By Bus:
From Aberdeen railway station:

• Bus 11A (approximately every 40 minutes)
• Bus 5 or Bus 6 (approximately every 15 minutes; requires a longer walk)
• Bus 15 (approximately every 40 minutes)

From Aberdeen Airport:

• Bus 727, then transfer to Bus 11A (approximately every 40 minutes)

From Aberdeen long-distance bus station (Union Square):

• Bus 15 (approximately every 40 minutes)

To apply for the summer school, please complete the online application form: Application form .

Applications will be assessed by the summer school organising committee. The review process normally takes up to 10 working days, after which applicants will be informed of the outcome with the payment method.

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact the organisers at:
abm.school@hutton.ac.uk