Innovative approaches for sustainability research in universities in the DACH region
December 12: 09:00 - 16:30
Research on sustainable development issues is not a luxury. It is a necessity. When we consider the many challenges facing our society in today’s world – intensive resource consumption, depletion of natural resources, pollution of ecosystems, or excessive production and consumption – it becomes clear how urgent sustainability research is. However, in order to reap the expected benefits from sustainability research, it is important that the research community comes together, discusses and promotes innovative – including disruptive – approaches that can foster a broader understanding of sustainability and the many areas where action is needed.
A specialist event where colleagues and postgraduate students can meet and exchange ideas as future scientists researching sustainable development in German-speaking countries is considered very useful. Unfortunately, they rarely take place in an integrated way. On this basis, the symposium “Innovative Approaches for Sustainability Research in Universities in the DACH Region” will be organized.
The main goal of the symposium “Innovative Approaches for Sustainability Research in Universities in the DACH Region” is to give participants from Germany, Austria and Switzerland the opportunity to present their work and innovations in the field of sustainability research by presenting approaches, methods and projects that show how sustainability can be integrated into research initiatives. The symposium is also intended to provide a platform for the exchange of information and to stimulate further cooperation and joint efforts in this area. Delegates from Germany, Switzerland and Austria are expected.
Target Group
The event is of particular interest to researchers and PhD students who work or conduct research at universities and are interested in presenting their innovative research approaches, learning about other topics, and exchanging ideas about them.
Format and duration
The symposium is planned as a one-day event on Thursday, December 12, 2024 (start: 09:00 a.m., end: 16:30 p.m.). The event will consist of a combination of plenary lectures and parallel sessions. We expect about 50 delegates as participants. Since the time for oral presentations is limited, an exhibition will take place in addition to the lectures themselves, where projects can present themselves with their project results.
As part of the symposium, “state-of-the-art projects” and research initiatives in the field of sustainability from Germany, Switzerland and Austria will be presented, as well as opportunities for networking. In particular, projects that are cross-sectoral and innovative and serve as an example of cooperation will be presented at the symposium.
Submission of abstracts
We are now calling for abstracts consisting of a 200-word outline of a talk and/or presentation, along with the names and full contact details of the authors. The abstracts are to info(at)iccip(dot)net .
The deadline for abstract submission is September 30, 2024.
Complete contributions to the book “Innovative Approaches for Sustainability Research in Universities in the DACH Region” must be submitted by March 30, 2025. Further details will be discussed with the authors whose abstracts have been accepted.
Documentation of event
As a long-term documentation of the event, the accepted contributions will be published in a book entitled “Innovative Approaches for Sustainability Research in Universities in the DACH Region”. This is part of the peer-reviewed book series “Theory and Practice of Sustainability”.
Various high-ranking books have already been published in this series, such as: “Ditalization and Sustainability”, “Sustainability in Teaching”, “Innovation in Sustainability Research”, as well as “Learning Objectives and Competencies in the Field of Sustainability”.
About the organizers
The symposim is supported by theDEKONAs (German Consortium for Sustainability Research)and the Research and Transfer Centre “Sustainability and Climate Impact Management” (FTZ NK)
organized. The FTZ NK plays a central role in international efforts to promote sustainable development. Not only does it have an excellent track record of scientific publications and research projects in this field, but it is also a leading provider of scientific training on sustainability topics and organizes sustainability events on all continents.
Location of the event and Accommodation options:
The symposium will take place in the rooms of the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Berliner Tor 5, D-20099 Hamburg. The nearest hotels are Motel One Alster (100m away) and Novotel Berliner Tor (50m away).
To compensate for the costs of preparing the symposium and producing the book, fees of 150 euros (plus taxes) will be charged.
The fees include the conference documents, coffee breaks and lunch
on 12 December.
Further information and Contact details
Univ. Prof. Dr. (mult.) Dr. h.c. (mult.) Walter Leal (PhD, DSc, DPhil,
DTech, DL, DEd, DLit)
Head, Research and Transfer Center “Sustainability and
Climate Impact Management”
Professor of Environment and Technology, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
Chair “RCE Hamburg and Region”
Chair, European School of Sustainability Science and Research (ESSSR)
Chair, Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme
Chair, European-North American Consortium of Sustainability Research (ENACSR)