Sustainability at the University of Bonn - our process of transformation

The University of Bonn is relying in particular on transdisciplinary approaches in its research. Across six Transdisciplinary Research Areas (TRAs)—among them Innovation and Technology for Sustainable Futures—researchers are working together across faculty boundaries to tackle issues of future relevance. The “SDG to go” scholarship program, meanwhile, funds research visits that benefit the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The University of Bonn is also stepping up its international collaboration on research, including with its partner university St Andrews in Scotland. These partnerships are boosting the global exchange of knowledge and innovative approaches for solving sustainability-related challenges.

• Establishing the Klein-Altendorf Sustainability Campus, including a center of expertise for renewable raw materials
• Setting up the "Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies" on asymmetric dependencies in pre-modern societies
• Founding the Bonn Alliance for Sustainability Research

Fitness for the future begins in teaching, and the University of Bonn has set itself the goal of preparing students for the challenges involved in shaping a sustainable society. To this end, it is developing and introducing a certification program for sustainability that will give them a targeted grounding in this issue. The University is also expanding its service learning offering, which combines university study with social engagement. Dedicated advanced training is showing teachers how to integrate this concept into their courses.

• Establishing a UNESCO Chair for Human-Water Systems
• Creating a “CampusAckerdemie” (“Campus in the Field”) to show trainee teachers how to teach a successful in-school gardening class
• Winning the “Education for Sustainable Development 2023/24” national award

The University of Bonn is taking action in its day-to-day operations to reduce environmental pollution and consume less resources. One priority is to raise awareness among staff and students about sustainable energy and waste management and climate-conscious mobility. It is also pursuing a strategy of adding greenery to University spaces to promote biodiversity.

• Using 100% green electricity
• Introducing a University-wide concept for separating and avoiding waste
• Making processes digital (e.g. invoicing and travel expenses)

Getting all members of the University—students especially—actively involved is a key element of its Sustainability Strategy. For instance, a funding pot has been set up to support sustainability-related projects and initiatives. The University also intends to provide a service offering advice to anyone interested in sustainability, while new and innovative formats such as (cultural) events are creating alternative ways to access the world of sustainability.

• Establishing a student-run Green Office
• Having a dedicated funding pot to support sustainability engagement
• Holding quarterly campaign months and the annual Sustainability Day

The University of Bonn is engaging in transparent, constructive communication in order to achieve its sustainability objectives. Employing a wide range of formats, from social media campaigns and newsletters through to sustainability and networking events such as a World Café, it regularly shares information with its members about sustainable initiatives, research findings and practical courses of action that they can take. There are also plans for a “BOOST Box,” a physical contact point holding material on sustainability in an easy-to-access form.

• Nominating dedicated sustainability contacts in all seven faculties
• Joining regional, national and international sustainability networks (e.g. Humboldtn, DG HochN, ISCN and the Green Office Movement)
• Launching two Instagram channels (nachhaltige_unibonn and greenofficeunibonn) and a dedicated sustainability web page