5th Spring Campus Conference of the University Alliance for Sustainability “Commitments for Future: Sustainability in Higher Education”, Freie Universität Berlin, August 31 – September 4 2020

12 December 2019 | From our Members

5th Spring Campus Conference of the University Alliance for Sustainability “Commitments for Future: Sustainability in Higher Education”, Freie Universität Berlin, August 31 – September 4 2020

The 5th Spring Campus Conference of the University Alliance for Sustainability: “Commitments for Future: Sustainability in Higher Education” will take place at Freie Universität Berlin, August 31 – September 4 2020.

Program focus and objectives

In 2019, social movements raised the awareness of climate change and sustainability in public and scientific discourse, urging political leaders, business executives, and public institutions to “act now, not later”. This discourse has also reached Higher Education Institutions around the world. While sustainability has been increasingly rooted in research, teaching, and on the university campus, the current development has brought a new political and social dimension to campus:

  • How do universities as public institutions respond to calls for action from their community and stakeholders?
  • How do universities shape their governance structures in light of new participatory demands?
  • How does the current discourse impact the societal and political role of universities?

The Opening Day on March 30th will address those commitment questions in key notes as well as in a panel discussion focusing on the core pillars of Higher Education Institutions: research, teaching, campus & management, and transfer & outreach activities.

On Tuesday and Wednesday (March 31 – April 1), the program will continue with parallel research and management workshops:

  • Workshop I: “Financial Markets and Sustainable Development in Times of Climate Change” organized by Prof. Kurt Hübner (University of British Columbia), Dr. Berthold Kuhn (Freie Universität Berlin) and Prof. Itay Fishhendler (Hebrew University)
  • Workshop II: “From Innovation to Acceptance: Challenges and Potentials of a Sustainable Energy Transition” organized by Dr. Maria Rosaria di Nucci and Bettina Tacke (Freie Universität Berlin)
  • Workshop III: “Higher Education for Sustainability in Turbulent Times”  organized by Prof. Inka Bormann, Dr. Mandy Singer-Brodowski and Nora Große (Freie Universität Berlin) and Prof. Robert VanWynsberghe (University of British Columbia)
  • Workshop IV: “Digitalization: Opportunities, Challenges and Impacts on Sustainability Management in Higher Education” organized by Andreas Wanke and Katrin Schweigel (Freie Universität Berlin)

Researchers, practitioners, PhD students are invited to submit contributions for the research and management workshops.

Deadline: closed.

Additionally, a PhD Workshop will be organized, which will conclude the Spring Campus Conference with a two-day meeting on Thursday and Friday (April 2 – 3). 

Further information and the calls for contributions for the Spring Campus Conference 2020 are available at: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/sites/spring-campus/03_Program/index.html.

In case of any questions you are welcome to contact UAS network manager Katrin Schweigel (Katrin.schweigel@fu-berlin.de).

© Photo by Bernd Wannenmacher


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