Background: This contribution presents the evaluation provided by the students participating in the first International Summer School on Ageing (ISSA), highlighting whether the educational goals of this initiative have been achieved and possible improvements for the future.

Methods: The reported findings are based on the evaluation requested to ISSA participants on the very last day of the school, through a written questionnaires containing both closed and open questions. The 20 participants were on average just above 30-year-old, mostly females (70%) from European countries (80%), held a Master of Science in half of cases and were enrolled as PhD students in a social (35%) or medical (35%) discipline, with a record of 4 publications on average.

Results: Participants appreciated the introductory lectures (on biomedical, socio-economic and other dimensions of ageing), defining them clear (100%) and appropriate (90%). Mentors’ capacity to stimulate discussion was appreciated (85% agreed), as did participants’ opportunity to fully participate and interact (94%), while two thirds of participants agreed to have obtained new ideas for their work (65% and 60% respectively). All modules received a good evaluation, especially in terms of learning material provided and of possibility to participate in the discussion, while the opportunity to develop new ideas varied across the modules, mainly due to the participants’ different disciplinary background.

Conclusions: While the first ISSA seems to have fully achieved its original aims, future similar initiatives should have a stronger interactive approach and practical real-life group exercises.