Sustainability and Internationalization

In many respects, achieving transformation into a more sustainable society goes hand-in-hand with solving global challenges. At RWTH, we are aware of the international dimension of sustainability and act with this in mind in both our research and academic activities – including promoting early-career investigators – even beyond national and continental borders.

Examples include various offers within the framework of the European University Alliance ENHANCE, such as the blended intensive program “Critical Sustainability” funded by the Erasmus+ program. The course brought students from all partner institutions together, both online and in person, to learn, discuss, and reflect, thereby promoting knowledge exchange and mobility within the ENHANCE student body. The participants expanded their understanding of sustainability from various interdisciplinary and artistic perspectives in an intervention research project, focusing particularly on social aspects, society/nature relationships, and political ecology.

Climate Action Versus Mobility

Building meaningful global engagement can be aided by digital tools and virtual formats. However, we also need to be physically mobile to pursue our international strategy and engage peers around the world, which is why CO₂ emissions cannot be completely avoided. RWTH is aware of the conflicting goals of climate protection vs. mobility and global experiences and is working specifically to find a balance. In addition to incentives for climate-friendly travel and compensation offers, RWTH focuses on activities with a positive “handprint.” This means that we specifically support international activities that lead to positive action in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. RWTH is convinced that the knowledge and expertise gained through global networking and collaboration will make a significant contribution to becoming more sustainable and, in particular, help boost sustainable development in line with the SDGs worldwide.

 

Considering Sustainability on a Global Level

The following examples illustrate the benefits that can be gained from international collaboration in the context of sustainability. It shows how important personal contacts are in helping us jointly change the world for the better.

In 2022, an RWTH delegation traveled to Namibia as part of a fact-finding mission. The aim of the trip was to establish partnerships in research, academics, and knowledge transfer and administration with two Namibian universities – the Namibia University of Science and Technology and the University of Namibia. A topic of great future relevance – green hydrogen – plays a central role in these partnerships as Namibia plans to become one of the major hydrogen producers of the future. The national Namibia Green Hydrogen Research Institute was founded to achieve this goal. Other areas of collaboration include climate change mitigation and adaptation, mining, sustainable logistics, theology and linguistics, and occupational and social medicine. Since the RWTH delegation’s visit, initiatives for knowledge exchange, as well as joint research and academic activities have developed in various areas, including a joint proposal for third-party funding in the field of hydrogen economics.

Another example of successful collaboration comes from the European network: Along with its partner universities of the IDEA League, RWTH organized “The Sustainable Campus” conference in 2022. RWTH hosted the event, where around 100 participants discussed measures to make university campuses more sustainable. Learn more about the IDEA League and Summer Schools here.