Sustainability Think Tank
Structure + Procedure
The Sustainability Think Tank (STT) was founded in November 2023 to develop a sustainability strategy for Heidelberg University. The STT initiative was developed within the University’s Research and Strategy Commission. The overarching aim of the STT was to develop proposals for a coherent sustainability strategy for the university in a participatory process. All existing initiatives in the areas of research, research operations, teaching, transfer, communication and operations were brought together, further developed and analyzed with regard to desired cross-references.
Five working groups (WG) were formed at the kick-off meeting in November 2023 along the aforementioned dimensions of action: Research, Research Operations, Teaching, Operations and Transfer/Communication. Their task was to develop proposals for concrete measures towards sustainable development. The results of the working groups were exchanged and checked for coherence and synergies in the STT plenum, which met a total of four times. Interested and committed staff and students of the university were invited to actively participate in the subgroups. Close coordination with the university’s leadership was maintained through the Vice-Rector for Quality Development and Sustainability, Prof. Dr. Karin Schumacher.
The finalized recommendations were submitted to the Rectorate on December 16th 2024, and presented by the STT management during the Rectorate meeting on January 15th 2025. The Rectorate is now reviewing the recommendations of the Sustainability Think Tank.
Working Groups
WG Research: pursues the goal of advancing sustainability research at the university. It is therefore dedicated to the question “what” should be researched, e.g. conducting more research on environmental issues and promoting interdisciplinary studies that focus on sustainable practices.
WG Research Operations: The aim is to make research operations more sustainable. Accordingly, it raises the question “how” research should be conducted. It's about how labs (or working groups) can become more sustainable.
WG Teaching: is dedicated to the task of developing proposals on how transformative skills for sustainability in the sense of the SDGs can be anchored as a cross-cutting topic in Heidelberg University's understanding of education.
WG Operations: develops measures on how the university can become a sustainable (learning) place and reduce its environmental impacts resulting from its day-to-day activities (e.g. energy consumption, waste management, water usage, and transportation).
WG Transfer/Communication: is dedicated to the question of how communication can be further developed internally and externally with regard to sustainable topics and how sustainability transfer activities can be expanded.
Your Sustainability Idea
Are you a student or member of staff at the university and do you have an idea on how the university can become more sustainable?
Then please answer a few questions via the link below. Even after the submission of the recommendations, incoming ideas continue to be collected.
Interest in getting involved
The STT management would like to thank the members of the STT for their active participation! This was the most important prerequisite for a successful participatory process. In the period between November 2023 and December 2024, around 80 members from various status groups at Heidelberg University (administration, academia and student body) were involved in the STT. Of these, around 40 people took part in the working groups and contributed and discussed their ideas.
The recommendations are currently being reviewed by the Rectorate. For this reason, no working group meetings are taking place at the moment. Further information will follow as soon as the STT management has received feedback from the Rectorate.
Protocols of the STT-Plena
The following link will take you to the minutes and PPTs of the STT Plena. You must log in with your Uni-ID to access the documents.
Important note: The documents are only intended for exchange within the university and may not be passed on to third parties.
Contact persons
Irina Merz, Sustainability Strategy Manager at the University Heidelberg
Dr. Maximilian Jungmann, Executive Manager at the HCE
stt@hce.uni-heidelberg.de
