In late May, while the SHIFT business festival was buzzing on campus, six PhD students were bound for Sardinia, to attend the 18th ENII EFIS EJI Summer School on Advanced Immunology. Our journey began from Turku with a 2 a.m. bus ride to catch an early morning flight to Rome, and then onward to the coastal city of Alghero.

Held annually in Alghero, Sardinia (Italy), the six-day summer school is organized by the European Network of Immunology Institutes (ENII), the European Federation of Immunological Societies (EFIS), and the European Journal of Immunology (EJI). The six-day program primarily targets PhD students and early-stage postdocs, but is open to anyone involved in immunology research—including research assistants, project researchers, and lab technicians.

Interestingly, the event isn’t broadly advertised. Instead, word-of-mouth among alumni fuels interest and applications—a strategy the organizers say has worked remarkably well.

This year’s class (2025) included 114 participants from 18 countries across Europe, with strong representation from Germany, the UK, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. In her opening address, scientific organizer and ENII president Maries van den Broek encouraged us to “enjoy the atmosphere and sense of community of the meeting, and take the opportunity to build your networks and make friends for life.”

Each day followed a steady rhythm: breakfast from 7:30–9:00, followed by morning lectures (9:00–12:30) from distinguished faculty – including speakers such as Onur Boyman (USZ, Zurich, Switzerland), Petter Brodin (KI, Stockholm, Sweden), Bernard Malissen (Ciml, Marseille, France), Fiona Powrie (Kennedy Institute, Oxford, UK), Charlotte Scott (VIB, Gent, Belgium), Ivan Zanoni (Harvard, USA), and many others.

 After lunch and a few hours of free time, afternoons featured oral presentations selected from attendees’ abstracts, plus one-minute teaser talks for the day’s posters. Poster sessions were spread across the week, with 20% presented each day during lively two-hour evening sessions. Dinner at the hotel capped off each day, offering another chance to meet new people and talk science—often with a glass of local wine in hand.

On the final day, we took a boat excursion to Neptune’s Grotto, a spectacular cliffside cave near Alghero, followed by a relaxing afternoon at the beach and a festive closing evening.

Speaking for the group Nick, Janni, Amna, Pia, Pinja, and myself—it was a phenomenal experience, blending top-tier science, great people, and a stunning location. If you ever get the chance to attend, take it!

Have a fantastic and relaxing summer!

Jimmy (on behalf of all of us)