Our Values

Sustainability in the University Alliance Ruhr

Sustainability is a joint task to which the three universities of the University Alliance Ruhr are particularly committed. The aim is to make a joint contribution to the global ecological, economic and social challenges.

The UA Ruhr's Understanding of Sustainability

Hand reaches into the green canopy of leaves in the sunlight

The three universities of the University Alliance Ruhr want to live up to their responsibility in shaping a sustainable future. They are thereby guided by the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A special focus lies on the areas in which the three universities already have excellent research; further focal points are being strategically developed.

The Sustainability Strategies of the three Partner Universities

All three universities have developed binding goals and strategies for a sustainable future and have taken measures - in administration, management and operations, in research, teaching and transfer. They regularly report on their projects and initiatives.

Find out more about the strategic processes and developments on the respective university websites:

Networks and Cooperations

Sustainability can only succeed as a joint endeavor. The three universities of the UA Ruhr are involved in national and international networks with a focus on sustainability.

Humboldtⁿ

The UA Ruhr universities are part of the Humboldtⁿ initiative, which was instigated by the State Rectors' Conference. It aims to promote the topic of sustainability at universities. The universities' sustainability projects are recorded in a map - including the activities of TU Dortmund University, Ruhr University and the University of Duisburg-Essen.

International Sustainable Campus Network

All three universities are members of the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN). The ISCN has set itself the goal of promoting the exchange of information and best-practices and thus of further promoting the embedding of sustainability in teaching, administration and research. Member universities aim to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Sustainability in Research and Teaching

Sustainability is lived at the UA Ruhr universities. On campus you encounter students, taking courses to obtain a sustainability certificate, scientists, conducting research on sustainability issues, start-ups, developing sustainable solutions or employees, involved in sustainability initiatives.

Research on Sustainability

At the UA Ruhr, scientists work across disciplines on the ecological, social and economic dimensions of sustainability, e.g. at the Research Center Chemical Sciences and Sustainability.

Studying Sustainability

The universities of the UA Ruhr see a special responsibility in supporting education for sustainable development. All three universities therefore offer their students the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills in the form of an additional certificate:

Certificate in Education for Sustainable Development (University of Duisburg-Essen)
Sustainability Certificate (Ruhr University Bochum)
Studium Oecologicum (TU Dortmund University)

Sustainable Campus Life

Sustainability has already become a part of everyday life on campus and can be encountered, for instance, in the repair café, in the bicycle repairshop, in the seed library or in the campus garden.

A few seeds fall out of a paper bag onto a wooden table — Seed library (TU Dortmund University)

An old computer and an old printer lying on paper waste — Repaircafé (Ruhr University Bochum)

An upturned bicycle being repaired. More bikes can be seen in the background. — AStA bicycle repair shop (University of Duisburg-Essen)

Watering can from which water is poured onto colorful flowers. — Garden by students (at all three locations)

During the annual Sustainability Days and Sustainability Weeks, the university community comes together to exchange ideas and develop and initiate projects together.