Governance

Governance is one of four focus areas defined in RWTH’s Sustainability Strategy. The vision for this area is to position the University as a driving force for sustainable development in society. Key elements include strengthening participatory structures, fostering commitment to sustainability, raising awareness of relevant projects and activities, and embedding sustainability strategically and structurally across the University.

This section provides an overview of current developments in governance for sustainable development at RWTH. For more detailed information on objectives, measures, and priority areas through 2030, please refer to the Governance focus area of the Sustainability Strategy on the University website.

In diesem Kapitel finden Sie:

• Nachhaltigkeit und Governance – Wo stehen wir?
• Auf einen Blick
• Gemeinschaftsaufgabe Nachhaltigkeit
• Neues aus dem Nachhaltigkeitsfonds
• Studentisches Engagement und Nachhaltigkeit
• Über Nachhaltigkeit sprechen

The Measures and Indicators Report provides a more detailed overview of implementation in the Governance focus area, including the status of all measures and the performance indicators used to assess progress.  

Sustainability at RWTH is not only driven by engagement within the University community. It also depends on active involvement in higher education policy and collaboration at the regional, state, and federal levels.

RWTH participates in a range of networks and initiatives, including HumboldtN, DG Hoch N, IDEA League, CESAER. In addition, collaboration within the Network for Sustainability and Climate Protection Management at Universities in North Rhine-Westphalia (NaKliMa NRW) has been further strengthened and formalized in recent years. Initially established as an informal network in 2023, it is now gaining formal significance, particularly in the context of the Climate-Neutral State Administration (KNLV).

Moving Forward with People and Strategy

Strengthening institutional commitment and accountability are key to achieving RWTH’s sustainability goals. In 2024, the University established a Sustainable Building Management division within Facility Management. This unit focuses on the energy-efficient operation of the campus and is responsible for both energy management and the collection of energy-related data. Further details can be found in the Operations section.

In 2025, funding from the National Climate Initiative (NKI) made it possible to create two climate action positions—one in the Sustainable Building Management division and one in the Sustainability Staff Unit. Watch the video below and read on to learn more about our progress in this area.

Working closely together, Begüm Guse and Ramya Balaji are developing an Integrated Climate Action Strategy for RWTH. This strategic planning tool plays a central role in the University’s path toward carbon neutrality. RWTH’s climate action efforts are part of a broader state-level initiative. Like 29 other universities in North Rhine-Westphalia, RWTH has joined the Climate-Neutral State Administration. As part of this initiative, universities are preparing greenhouse gas inventories with support from the North Rhine-Westphalia Office of Nature, Environment and Climate (LANUK). Through its voluntary participation, RWTH aims to systematically record its emissions, reduce them over time, and avoid them wherever possible.

Since 2024, the University has also been a premium partner of the City of Aachen in the 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities initiative. Given its scale with around 45,000 students, approximately 10,000 employees, 400 buildings, and more than 800,000 m² of floor space, the University is comparable to a small city. “Climate-friendly measures represent a major lever for positive change—precisely because of the size of our institution,” says Ramya Balaji.

Developing a climate action strategy for a university of this size is a complex task. The climate action managers are leading this effort, focusing on data collection, defining priorities and timelines, developing implementation plans, and engaging the University community. “The biggest challenge is navigating the diversity and complexity of such a large university,” says Begüm Guse. “To implement the measures, not just define them, we need close collaboration across the entire University.”

The AStA’s work focuses on raising awareness of sustainability and encouraging active engagement among students and the wider University community. To this end, the team develops and supports projects at different levels, for example the Green Campus initiative, which creates shared spaces for gathering and exchange.

Making the University campus greener not only improves quality of life on campus but also contributes to the city’s development. The campus garden, located in the heart of the city, supports urban biodiversity. Students can get involved by planting raised beds with seasonal vegetables and herbs. An apple tree has been added, and several seating areas have been created to encourage people to spend time there. The planning and implementation of these greening projects took place in close collaboration with the University’s facilities management team.

The newly created gathering space will continue to be developed with new furnishings. In 2024, the Campus Garden Furniture Design Competition was launched to further enhance the area. The winning entries feature innovative prototypes for sustainable urban furniture that go beyond simple seating, creating versatile, interactive spaces rather than conventional outdoor furnishings. Sustainability and environmental responsibility were central evaluation criteria. The selected designs will be built by students.  

Fair Trade – RWTH as a Fairtrade University

RWTH has held Fairtrade University status since 2022. The designation recognizes the commitment of the University, and in particular the student initiatives that helped achieve certification.

As a Fairtrade University, RWTH integrates fair trade principles into everyday campus life and raises awareness across the University community. This is especially relevant in the context of global supply chains, where workers—particularly in countries of the Global South—are often exposed to poor working conditions. At RWTH, the AStA coordinates activities that promote fair trade and make it more visible on campus. These include, for example, a mocktail tasting featuring fair-trade citrus fruits and juices, combined with a quiz to introduce participants to the principles of fair trade. In addition, the university administration has organized tastings of fair-trade coffee, helping to raise awareness among staff in their day-to-day work environment.

Sustainability Round Table

The Sustainability Round Table provides a platform for dialogue, information, and exchange. Each semester, it brings together student initiatives, student councils, the AStA, and the Sustainability Staff Unit. The Round Table is used to present current and planned developments, discuss ideas, and highlight how students are already contributing to sustainable change.

It also offers students the opportunity to present their own initiatives, share ideas, and connect with others, including the staff unit’s team. One example: at a recent session, students learned from an external speaker about the role of birdhouses in supporting bird habitats. They then built birdhouses themselves, which were installed on campus in collaboration with the grounds maintenance team.

The University uses a range of formats to communicate sustainability topics, including social media. On Instagram, for example, RWTH shares updates, insights, and examples of sustainability in practice. As of March 2025, these efforts reach 690 newsletter subscribers and 2,165 Instagram followers. Communication also takes place through other channels, including the Press and Communications Department. The video “Sustainable – Preparing RWTH for the Future” provides an overview of selected projects and initiatives.