Sustainable Development Goals at the University of Bayreuth
With the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted in 2015, the global community under the umbrella of the United Nations committed itself to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The guiding principle of the 2030 Agenda is to enable people around the world to live in dignity and at the same time to preserve the natural foundations of life in the long term. This includes economic, ecological, and social aspects. In this context, the 2030 Agenda emphasizes the shared responsibility of all actors: Politics, Business, Science, Civil Society – and every individual.
With the adoption of its sustainability strategy, the University of Bayreuth seeks to contribute to achieving the 17 SDGs.
3. Good Health and Well-Being
Access to good medical care, life-saving vaccines, and medications are prerequisites for a healthy life. The University of Bayreuth offers all students, employees, and residents of the local community a wide range of preventive care, educational programmes, and support for health-related and psychological problems. Particular emphasis is placed on a tangible, health-promoting university culture.
In October 2018, the University of Bayreuth contracted Katrin Pietschmann-Beer and Katrin Schmerberg as University Medical Officers to further expand the health management of the University of Bayreuth. In addition, the University of Bayreuth is in close exchange with health insurance companies and other institutions and has committed to creating a health-oriented environment for studying and working by signing the Okanagan Charter.
Create YOUR Campus
At the University of Bayreuth there is Create YOUR Campus, the university health management, which pursues the vision of strengthening the health of employees and students, enabling healthy living, working and studying and developing a health-promoting university culture. Together with students and employees, needs-based offers are developed that stimulate self-reflection in relation to one's own health awareness and thus promote health-oriented personal development. Both behavioral and relational levels are taken into account.
University sports develops sports programs for university members and organizes competitions.
As part of research projects such as Students BeWegt 2.0, scientific findings are generated and measures are developed to increase everyday activity and reduce students' sitting behavior.
The health promotion programs at the University of Bayreuth can be classified into the areas of exercise, nutrition and mental health. There are also individual cross-field measures. These are described below:
Movement
Nutrition
Mental health
Cross-field measures
The University of Bayreuth allows external institutions and groups of people the free and unrestricted access to its university sports facilities. This offer is regulated in the allocation regulations for sports facilities of the University of Bayreuth and is currently used by local schools, clubs, the police as well as state-wide sports associations.
The University of Bayreuth is committed to the health of its students and promotes this through a wide range of programmes. Due to the legally regulated insurance obligation according to § 5 SGB 5, students can receive all relevant preventive medical examinations through locally based health care facilities. In addition, the University of Bayreuth has recently started providing free menstrual products to its students at various locations on campus.
The Studentenwerk Oberfranken offers students free, uncomplicated and short-term support for mental health problems. The University of Bayreuth also provides books, videos, podcasts, and other media on the topic of mental health.
The University of Bayreuth takes care of the health of all members of the University. For this reason, smoking is prohibited in all indoor areas of the buildings of the University of Bayreuth. This also applies to the use of e-cigarettes (vaping). The Health Protection Act (Gesundheitsschutzgesetz - GSG) applies at the University of Bayreuth as a matter of course.
4. Quality Education
Providing access to education and imparting knowledge through teaching is the core task of universities. For this reason, the University of Bayreuth not only offers its students high-quality teaching content, but at the same time also enables the general public to access subject-specific knowledge through freely accessible facilities, public lectures, and events.
The University of Bayreuth aims at various educational formats for non-students and especially schoolchildren. These include two events, the Children's University and the University Upper School, which lead to a certificate. In addition, interested external parties and school students have the opportunity to use the extensive offerings of the university library. This offer also includes the use of the associated PC pool. The University of Bayreuth also provides online courses and lectures for guests via its external e-learning portal.
Under the motto "There's always something! ", the University of Bayreuth also offers numerous educational events to external groups. The Botanical Garden offers guided tours and events on the topic of nature and plant diversity to all interested parties. The Iwalewahaus presents a range of exhibitions of contemporary non-European art, especially contemporary art from Africa and the African diaspora, and invites visitors to public readings at regular intervals. With the student study programme, the University of Bayreuth offers gifted high school students an additional learning opportunity that complements their schoolwork. The MINT.UNI & Schule programme also offers all interested pupils the opportunity to further their education in scientific subjects.
The continuing education programmes, seminars, and conferences offered by the Campus Academy of the University of Bayreuth offer non-students the opportunity to delve into a specific subject area and at the same time expand their professional and private networks. For those interested in continuing education, the Campus Academy offers certificate courses as well as shorter programmes such as continuing education series with a range of topics. For companies, the Campus Academy also offers specially tailored continuing education programmes geared to the needs of their business.
The Quoro programme is a continuing education project at the University of Bayreuth funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research to mobilize skilled workers from the region and supports the idea of the "open university".
The Digital Transformation Workshop offers employees and managers from companies the provision of application-oriented methodological knowledge in the form of an in-service training concept with learning processes that are flexible in terms of time and location. This concept complements a transfer network for SMEs from the manufacturing and production sector.
In addition, the University of Bayreuth also offers teachers and school administrators the opportunity to participate in continuing education programmes.
The Chair of Social and Health Sciences of Sport participates in the joint project Capital4Health of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The aim of the research network is to create favourable conditions for an active lifestyle in different settings (kindergarten, school, company and community) by improving individual skills as well as organisational structures. The sub-project Health.edu aims at the sustainable development of sport-related health skills of pupils in schools. The sub-project ACTION for men focuses on promoting the capacities of key persons at community level with regard to the development of physical activity-related health promotion measures for men over 50.
In the Physics Roadshow, scientists from the science faculties offer experimental lectures on topics that complement the curriculum in schools. Accompanying them are experiments and activities.
The University of Bayreuth supports continuing education at all ages regardless of ethnicity, religion, disability, migration status or gender and is convinced of the philosophy of lifelong learning. For this reason, the University of Bayreuth is firmly anchored in the structural and development plan as well as the transfer strategy.
5. Gender Equality
Due to its wide range of courses, the University of Bayreuth has had a balanced gender ratio among its students for years. Since the University of Bayreuth sees gender equality as a cross-sectional task at all levels, the University Governing Board takes specific decisions to ensure that this balance is also achieved among lecturers and researchers. For more than 25 years, the Women's Representative has supported the University Governing Board in implementing gender equality. In order to further establish the promotion of equality, the Equal Opportunities and Diversity service units were also created, which actively promote awareness of this issue among the campus community.
The Equal Opportunities QM of the Equal Opportunities service unit regularly compiles equality-relevant figures and data of the University of Bayreuth. Corresponding data for internal organisational units is also prepared for individual departments or faculties on request.
Furthermore, gender is a feature of all official university statistics and is therefore collected and made evaluable for student statistics as well as for examination statistics, doctoral statistics, and personnel statistics. General overviews and reports on key figures of the University of Bayreuth therefore always contain facts and figures relevant to gender equality. An overview of these is provided, for example, on the website University of Bayreuth in Figures.
The University of Bayreuth values the diversity of its employees as an enrichment and is expressly committed to the goal of gender equality. For this reason, application guidelines and enrolment statutes apply equally to all genders. Furthermore, equal opportunities is anchored in the Human Resources developmental strategy as a cross-cutting issue. The University of Bayreuth was also awarded the seal of approval of the German University Association for its fair and transparent appointment negotiations. The target agreement serves as a higher education policy steering element to realize gender equality in the faculties as stipulated in the structure and development plan.
The Equal Opportunities service unit offers a variety of programmes for female students, female scholars in their qualification phase, and female employees of the University to promote strategic career planning.
In the empowerMINTDoc programme, female students in STEM fields have the opportunity to participate in seminars, peer mentoring, and networking events. They are encouraged to think about their doctorate as a conscious career step and to network with others. The 12-month programme is aimed at female bachelor's students from the 5th semester and master's students in STEM subjects at the University of Bayreuth.
Does MINT suit me? This is the motto of various regional and nationally networked campaigns for female students at the University of Bayreuth. The aim is to introduce them to the fields of mathematics, computer science, the natural sciences, and technology and to inspire them to study STEM subjects:
The Guidelines on Protection Against Discrimination and Harassment in Consideration of the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) at the University of Bayreuth prohibit, among other things, discrimination (disadvantage) and harassment (behaviour that violates dignity) on the grounds of gender and gender identity.
In addition, the University of Bayreuth offers various counselling services in the event of sexualized discrimination and violence for students and employees, such as the Women's Representative or the external conflict counselling service.
The Guidelines on Protection Against Discrimination and Harassment in Consideration of the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) at the University of Bayreuth prohibit, among other things, discrimination (disadvantage) and harassment (behaviour that violates dignity) on the grounds of gender and gender identity.
In order to facilitate the participation of transgender people among students in the academic context and in everyday university life, it is possible at the University of Bayreuth to change one's name and/or gender in advance of a judicial change of first name and civil status.
A central concern of the University of Bayreuth is to foster a university culture that is particularly open to the needs of families. This is based on the fundamental conviction that family is of central importance for successful coexistence characterized by social responsibility. That is why we are strongly committed to promoting the compatibility of family and studies or work. In 2006, the University of Bayreuth received the basic certificate of the audit for family-friendly universities from beruf&familie GmbH for its commitment and was re-audited in 2010 and 2013. In September 2016, the University of Bayreuth joined the Best Practice Club "Family in Higher Education" and signed the corresponding charter. In March 2018, the University of Bayreuth became a founding member of the "Familie in der Hochschule e.V. " (Family in Higher Education) and the Family-Friendly University Officer of the University of Bayreuth was elected to the Board of Directors.
The University of Bayreuth offers its students with children a comprehensive range of childcare services to enable mothers and fathers to attend regular lectures and classes.
The University of Bayreuth also offers employees with children a wide range of childcare options to enable them to work in a family-friendly way.
The Equal Opportunities service unit offers numerous programmes for female students, scholars in their qualification phase, and female employees of the University to promote strategic career planning. These include the mentoring programme CoMento.
The Equal Opportunities QM of the Equal Opportunities service unit regularly compiles equality-relevant figures and data of the University of Bayreuth. Corresponding data for internal organizational units is also prepared for individual departments or faculties on request.
In addition, gender is a feature of all official university statistics and is therefore collected and made evaluable for student statistics as well as for examination statistics, doctoral statistics, and personnel statistics. The website University of Bayreuth in Figures provides an overview of the graduates of the University of Bayreuth over time.
The Guidelines on Protection Against Discrimination and Harassment in Consideration of the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) at the University of Bayreuth govern confidentiality in the handling of personal data and thus protects those who report discrimination.
7. Affordable and clean energy
A significant contribution to climate protection is made through energy efficiency and a switch to renewable energies. The University of Bayreuth intends to optimize the energy demand for heating and ventilation as well as to expand the energy supply (electricity/heat) through more efficient combined heat and power plants and from renewable energies in combination with storage systems. The research cooperation through the Centre for Energy Technology and the collaboration with the Bavarian Centre for Battery Technology (BayBatt) also represent an important cornerstone for the research and transfer of energy-efficient technologies.
New buildings are being constructed according to the standards of the resolutions of the Bavarian state government for public buildings of the Free State of Bavaria:
"As a public builder, the State of Bavaria is living up to its exemplary function with regard to energy-efficient construction. Since 2011, all new state administration buildings - and in a pilot phase also selected special buildings - have been constructed on the basis of the passive house standard. For all other measures, the average requirements for the building envelope are undercut by at least 10 percent compared to the current legal situation.”
Energy efficiency standards for buildings are laid down by law in the "Act on the Saving of Energy and the Use of Renewable Energies for Heating and Cooling in Buildings" (GEG).
This was adopted in 2020.
A planned increase in the energy efficiency standards of the buildings is laid down in the Sustainability Strategy of the University of Bayreuth (cf. p.12-13 AG Infrastructure Measures):
- "Energy refurbishment of the buildings, e.g. replacement of old glazing."
- "Optimization of the energy demand for heating and ventilation, e.g. by installing performance-optimized fans, replacing outdated heating and cold water pumps with high-efficiency pumps as well as by presence-dependent switching of ventilation systems in seminar rooms and lecture halls and installation of electronically controllable radiator valves (in connection with window opening).
- "Prioritize sustainability aspects in all extensions and new buildings."
- "Further reduction of electricity consumption for lighting, e.g. by switching to energy-saving light sources and installing motion / presence detectors."
The Sustainability Strategy of the University of Bayreuth was adopted in 2021.
Measures to reduce CO₂ emissions are defined in the Sustainability Strategy of the University of Bayreuth (cf. p.12-13: AG Infrastructure - Measures):
- "Perspective replacement of the current vehicle fleet (where appropriate) with motor vehicles with alternative, efficient drive systems."
- "Extension of the option of home office for employees with office jobs within the scope of operational possibilities."
- "Energy refurbishment of the buildings, e.g. replacement of old glazing."
- "Optimization of the energy demand for heating and ventilation, e.g. by installing performance-optimized fans, replacing outdated heating and cold water pumps with high-efficiency pumps as well as by presence-dependent switching of ventilation systems in seminar rooms and lecture halls and installation of electronically controllable radiator valves (in connection with window opening).
- "Prioritize sustainability aspects in all extensions and new buildings."
- "Further reduction of electricity consumption for lighting, e.g. by switching to energy-saving light sources and installing motion / presence detectors."
The sustainability strategy of the University of Bayreuth was adopted in 2021.
Measures to reduce energy consumption are defined in the Sustainability Strategy of the University of Bayreuth (cf. p.12-13: AG Infrastructure - Measures)
- "Expansion of energy supply (electricity/heat) through efficient combined heat and power plants as well as from renewable energies in combination with storage systems."
- "Energy refurbishment of the buildings, e.g. replacement of old glazing."
- "Optimization of the energy demand for heating and ventilation, e.g. by installing performance-optimized fans, replacing outdated heating and cold water pumps with high-efficiency pumps as well as by presence-dependent switching of ventilation systems in seminar rooms and lecture halls and installation of electronically controllable radiator valves (in connection with window opening).
- "Prioritize sustainability aspects in all extensions and new buildings."
- "Further reduction of electricity consumption for lighting, e.g. by switching to energy-saving light sources and installing motion / presence detectors."
The Sustainability Strategy of the University of Bayreuth was adopted in 2021.
The 'Wandelwoche' is a programme of the platform forum1.5 which originates from a research project led by the Chair of Urban and Regional Development. forum1.5 aims to bring together as many actors as possible from all sectors of society who are interested in implementing climate protection. The 'Wandelwoche' is open to the public and offers a wide range of topics related to climate and environmental protection (including in the area of the energy transition).
forum1.5 and the RegioTransform project are committed to achieving the 1.5-degree target, including the use of 100% renewable energy. The research project networks all initiatives and committed people in Bayreuth and the Upper Franconia region by bringing together business, science, politics, and civil society.
With its Sustainability Strategy, the University of Bayreuth itself commits to climate neutrality and thus also to the use of 100% renewable energies (cf. p. 5 Preamble):
"Therefore, we will strive [...] to become climate neutral as to the great extent possible and as quickly as possible."
Central institutions where the University of Bayreuth is in exchange with industry with a central focus on energy efficiency are, for example, the following:
forum1.5 is in exchange with regional actors and has, for example, drafted the mobility vision for Bayreuth & Kulmbach and written a concept for a "Future community in Kreuz".
The Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation promotes and advises in particular start-ups and those interested in founding a company (including in the field of clean energy).
9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
The University of Bayreuth actively promotes the innovative strength of its students and researchers. In addition, the transfer of knowledge and the support of entrepreneurship strengthen local and national industry and infrastructure. To this end, an institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has been established, whose portfolio includes an extensive range of lectures, events, and workshops.
Additionally, the forum1.5 addresses business, entrepreneurs, and employees, to work on concrete ideas, concepts, and processes in the region on how the economy can satisfy the necessary needs of people, serve the common good and create sustainable prosperity that remains in harmony with the natural basis of life.
11. Sustainable cities and communities
Universities have an educational mission – not only towards their university members but also towards stakeholders in the surrounding cities and communities. In relation to sustainability, the goal as a university is to contribute to making cities and communities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. One field of action of the University of Bayreuth’s Sustainability Strategy is the "Third Mission", i.e. the mutual exchange between the University of Bayreuth and the surrounding economy, science, culture, society, and politics. The University of Bayreuth allows public access to its buildings (e.g. libraries), its grounds and green spaces – such as the Botanical Garden. Through various cultural events, a mutual cultural exchange takes place, e.g. in the context of concerts, cinema, and theatre. In addition, the Studentenwerk Oberfranken, which is located at the University, provides affordable housing for students.
The Botanical Garden of the University of Bayreuth is one of the largest in Bavaria. Around 12,000 plant species can be seen here in naturally designed habitats. The Botanical Garden serves teaching and research purposes, the conservation of endangered plant and animal species and the public for educational and recreational purposes.
The University of Bayreuth offers external visitors and students the possibility to use the extensive offer of the University Library. This offer also includes the use of the associated PC pool.
Exhibitions in the Botanical Garden at the University of Bayreuth are open to the public and free of charge.
Access to the Botanical Garden of the University of Bayreuth is public and free of charge.
The Bavarian Week is held annually in the canteen of the University of Bayreuth. Bavarian traditions are highlighted through Bavarian cuisine, brass band music, and other activities.
In its Sustainability Strategy, the University of Bayreuth set itself targets and indicators for sustainable practices (cf. p. 12: WG Infrastructure - Targets, as well as p.14 WG Infrastructure - Indicators):
- “We are working to promote public transport and cycling infrastructure with a view to sustainable mobility. The CO₂ intensity of the vehicle fleet is to be reduced. We want to set positive incentives to reduce CO₂ emissions during business trips and introduce monitoring."
- “In addition to the above-mentioned indicators, the University of Bayreuth also records other, so-called indirect indicators. These represent emissions that do not occur directly on campus, but are related to its operation. These include, for example, emissions from the daily journey from the place of residence to the university, from business trips, the shares of the various modes of transport in business trips or means of transport used by employees to get to work, etc."
Additionally, the forum1.5 is aimed at decision-makers in the municipalities: in the political bodies, in the administration, in the municipal institutions, companies, and enterprises, to courageously exploit the existing scope for action. The forum1.5 offers municipalities an opportunity to connect in order to legitimize new, sustainable paths and decisions and gain support for them from the population. It regularly organizes a spring forum and a transformation week on various focus topics (e.g., mobility).
In its Sustainability Strategy, the University of Bayreuth defines measures for sustainable commuting (cf. p.13: AG Infrastructure - Measures):
- “Further development and expansion of the bicycle infrastructure (e.g. through parking and storage spaces, e-bike charging infrastructure, and university bicycles or e-bikes)".
- “Perspective replacement of the current vehicle fleet (where appropriate) with vehicles with alternative, efficient drive systems."
With its Sustainability Strategy, the University of Bayreuth is striving to expand the possibilities for home office (cf. p.13: WG Infrastructure - Measures):
"Extension of the option of home office for employees with office jobs within the scope of operational possibilities."
The Studentenwerk Oberfranken provides 2,700 subsidized places to live.
The rental price can be found on the pages of the individual halls of residence, e.g. in the international hall of residence 166.- euros plus electricity.
There are nine exclusive access points for pedestrians and cyclists on the campus and only three roads leading onto the campus that can be used by cars.
New buildings are constructed according to the standards of the resolutions of the Bavarian state government for public buildings of the State of Bavaria:
"As a public builder, the State of Bavaria is living up to its exemplary function with regard to energy-efficient construction. Since 2011, all new state administration buildings - and in a pilot phase also selected special buildings - have been constructed on the basis of the passive house standard. For all other measures, the average requirements for the building envelope are undercut by at least 10 percent compared to the current legal situation."
The legal basis is the "Act on Energy Saving and the Use of Renewable Energies for Heating and Cooling in Buildings" (GEG).
The current and planned construction projects at the University of Bayreuth (FZA - Research Center Africa, Module Building NW IV, New Entrepreneurship & Innovation Building) meet the requirements of the Free State of Bavaria or exceed the required standards. The FZA construction site is also designated as a "Carbon-Neutral Construction Site" by the Markgraf company during the construction phase.
Since the requirements for the currently planned and under construction buildings date back to 2011, the Bavarian Ministry of Housing, Construction, and Transport adopted a Ministerial Council resolution on April 18, 2023, regarding the "Future Energy Standard in State Construction." These describe contemporary, and in some cases challenging, goals for the required energy standards.
The University of Bayreuth has made a clear commitment to sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint. The planned Campus Kulmbach expansion is designated as a "Climate Campus," meaning the new energy standards will be met. A concept for the Climate Campus was already developed in 2022. Geothermal and solar energy will be used for energy supply whenever possible.
The design of the new building will soon be put out for tender as part of an architectural competition. The energy standards are clearly defined and must be adhered to.
15. Life on land
The number of species is declining dramatically worldwide, according to the 2019 report of the United Nations World Biodiversity Council. Of eight million animal and plant species, one million are threatened with extinction. Studies in Germany show that, for example, the biomass of insects in German protected areas has declined by 75% over the last thirty years, and that the biomass, abundance, and species numbers of arthropods (i.e. insects, arachnids and millipedes) have declined significantly across regions over the last ten years. This insect mortality has a massive impact on many other animal and plant species via the food chain and ecosystem functions of insects, such as pollination. Above all, loss of land and intensification of land use are held responsible for the decline in biodiversity in the landscape.
This is where the expertise of the University of Bayreuth is in demand: Dr Stephanie Thomas, postdoc at the Chair of Biogeography, is working at the World Biodiversity Council IPBES to ensure that politics and society also become aware of species extinction. At IPBES, she serves as lead author for Chapter 3 of the upcoming "Nexus Assessment", the report assessing the linkages between biodiversity, water, food and health.
Meanwhile at the University of Bayreuth: Prof. Dr. Christian Laforsch, in cooperation with Jürgen Franke (Buildings & Grounds Maintenance) and Green Campus, wanted to preserve biodiversity and initiated the designation of 15 biodiversity areas on the University of Bayreuth campus in 2016 and the sowing of flowering mixes on parts of them in 2018. The aim was to maintain the sown flowering areas with a suitable mowing regime, to graze the large biodiversity areas in the long term and thus also convert them into species-rich flower meadows, and at the same time to offer insects as long a supply of flowers as possible throughout the summer.
Prof. Dr. Gerrit Begemann (Developmental Biology) and Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Obermaier (Ecological Botanical Garden), in cooperation with Thorsten Zickler from Buildings & Grounds Maintenance, have developed a suitable mowing regime for this purpose, which is based on the mowing practices of earlier, more extensive agriculture. Hay mowing was traditionally done in a first mowing at the end of June/beginning of July and a second mowing (Grummet) in September. The meadows were mown in small areas at different times so that a mosaic of flowering and mown meadows was available throughout the summer. Fallow land, margins, and uncultivated areas provided suitable habitats for overwintering.
Based on this, the biodiversity areas on campus are now mown half in early July and half in September. Partial mowing in the middle of the summer ensures a second flowering and thus an overall longer flowering period across the entire campus. Regular mowing and removal of the mown material are generally important in order to achieve a thinning of the areas and thus the development of a higher biodiversity of (less competitive) plant species, but mowing should not be too early or too frequent, at most once or twice a year. Meadows that are not mown at all show a significantly lower flower supply and become overgrown over time. As former farmland, the areas on campus are relatively rich in nutrients and at the same time, like all areas in this country, are exposed to a net nitrogen input from the air, which should be compensated for with the annual removal of the mown material ("leaching").
In addition to an insect-friendly mowing height of at least 5-10 cm, accompanying measures include leaving the areas mown in July and the borders of wooded areas standing over the winter and, on the initiative of the Central Technology Department, sowing three additional areas on campus with a native flower meadow mix (regioseed) in spring 2020.
17. Partnerships to achieve the goals
forum1.5 and Professor Dr. Manfred Miosga, Professor of Urban and Regional Development at the University of Bayreuth, works intensively with regional network offices of the German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) (especially RENN.süd) in the development and implementation of sustainability strategies with municipalities and civil society initiatives. Likewise, forum1.5 cooperates with the Ökologische Akademie Linden e.V. and the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Natur- und Umweltbildung (ANU). They jointly develop and offer adult education programs.
Professor Dr. Carl Beierkuhnlein, Chair of Biogeography at the University of Bayreuth, is active in the following Bavarian networks as a representative of science:
- Bayerische Naturschutzfonds (Bavarian Nature Conservation Fund)"The 'Bayerischer Naturschutzfonds' is a foundation with legal capacity under public law based in Munich. In many projects, the foundation supports the implementation of the most important nature conservation concepts in the Free State. These include the strategy for the conservation of biological diversity in Bavaria, the species and biotope protection program, species assistance programs, the biotope network in Natura 2000, and the BayernNetz Natur."
- Supreme Advisory Council for the Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection
- Bayerischer Biodiversitätsrat (Bavarian Biodiversity Council)Bayerischer Biodiversitätsrat: Prof. Beierkuhnlein advises the Minister of the Environment on the subject of biodiversity
- More information on Prof. Dr. Beierkuhnlein
The University of Bayreuth and the Hanoi National University of Education (Vietnam) is planning the 2nd "International Conference on Innovation in Learning Instruction and Teacher Education" on the topic "Innovation for sustainable education in the changing context". The conference took place on December 12, 2021. The conference's content focused on how to contribute to achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda to ensure quality, equitable and inclusive education.
Professor Dr. Manfred Miosga, Professor of Urban and Regional Development at the University of Bayreuth, and forum1.5 have been closely involved in the annual Bavarian Sustainability Conference for several years. They are involved, among other things, in the design of the program and keynote lectures.
Professor Dr Christian Fikar, Professor of Food Supply Chain Management, is co-author of the APCC (Austrian Panel for Climate Change) report "Structures for Climate Friendly Living". The report was published on 19 November 2022.
In addition, Professor Dr. Christian Fikar was a speaker on resilience in food supply chains at the Diplomatic Academy Students Initiative Conference (DASICON) in February 2022.
Professor Dr. Beierkuhnlein, Chair of Biogeography at the University of Bayreuth, is involved as project lead and partner in various EU projects, such as:
The "Zentrum Globales Lernen" in Bavaria (ZGL) at the University of Bayreuth offers numerous events related to the SDGs, which primarily focus on promoting competencies for achieving the SDGs.
In addition, Professor Dr. Gabriele Schrüfer, Chair of Geography Didactics at the University of Bayreuth, is involved in the "Reflectories" project. Reflectories is an interactive learning tool on the SDGs. Using auditory elements, short texts, and illustrations, users immerse themselves in a story and are confronted with challenging problem situations. In the process, they get to know different actors and receive various, sometimes controversial, information. Repeatedly, decisions have to be made that influence the further course of the story. The consequences of the decisions become visible directly afterward. Reflectories help to develop skills that are considered necessary for achieving the SDGs.
The forum1.5 offers best practices for complying with various SDGs (e.g., SDG 11, 12, 13).
The Campus Academy of the University of Bayreuth offers the certificate course "land-saving community development". SDGs 11, 12, and 15 are addressed in particular within this course:
The forum1.5 works with different initiatives and organizations to comply with the SDGs. For example: Cooperation with the "Klimaentscheid" and GermanZero in the context of the spring forum1.5, cooperation with the Campus Academy and other educational institutions (e.g., ANU).
In addition, Dr. Kai Frobel was appointed as honorary professor at the University of Bayreuth. Dr. Frobel is part of Bund Naturschutz in Bayern e.V..
Furthermore, the “Zentrum Globales Lernen” in Bavaria (ZGL) of the University of Bayreuth cooperates with various NGOs. The ZGL understands its task to intensively develop Global Learning in Bavaria, offer practice-oriented application examples in a modular way for lessons, further education and other educational programs, and transfer scientific findings into society. In the context of teacher education, Global Learning/Education for Sustainable Development is anchored in the LPO I in § 33 as a content-related examination requirement for all subjects. Under the guiding principle of sustainable development, global learning serves the goal of transforming society. Considering ecological, social, and economic dimensions, all people should be enabled to participate equally in material, natural and cultural goods, also in the future. In the sense of lifelong learning, the focus is on skills in dealing with complexity, intercultural learning, and uncertainties.
In addition, many student initiatives at the University of Bayreuth deal with topics related to sustainability. Some of these initiatives have a close connection to NGOs (e.g., Amnesty International, Technology without Borders). Furthermore, the University of Bayreuth has been Fairtrade certified since 2016. The University of Bayreuth works closely with Fairtrade Deutschland e.V., which in turn operates under the umbrella of the NGO Fairtrade International.
The forum1.5 publishes various research reports that pay particular attention to SDGs 11, 12, and 13.
Furthermore, since 2021, an annual Sustainability Report has been published. The Sustainability Report provides an overview of the sustainability progress achieved at the University of Bayreuth. The reports are primarily related to the SDGs 7, 11, 12, 13, and 15.
The University of Bayreuth has a Structure & Development Plan 2025 (StEP), which continues and replaces the 'Structure & Development Plan 2020+' adopted on June 5, 2013. The StEP is a major strategic instrument to ensure the retention of existing structures that are working well and to carry out the necessary reorganization and trend-setting realignment.
Within the StEP, the University of Bayreuth sees the important topics of Sustainability and Equal Opportunities & Diversity as two of four cross-cutting areas that permeate all other topics (research, teaching, third mission, governance). Thus, aspects relevant to sustainability are also mentioned in the area of teaching:
Subject and Cultural Diversity in Schools and Universities as part of the quality-offensive in teacher training (see StEP, page 13)
Equal Opportunities & Diversity in teaching (see StEP, page 35)
Sustainability in teaching (see StEP, page 39)
Additionally, an integral part of the sustainability strategy of the University of Bayreuth is the topic "Teaching". Thus, the University of Bayreuth commits itself to concrete, verifiable goals in the area of teaching, among others (cf. page 20 ff.).
Part of the sustainability strategy is the introduction of a supplementary study program in Sustainability. The supplementary study program in Sustainability started in the summer semester of 2021 and provides students with key qualifications in sustainability. Sustainability is understood as a broad concept and is not limited to the ecological, economic and social perspective, but also includes technology, culture, philosophy, healthcare, law, and other disciplines. The aim of the additional study program is for students to view sustainable issues critically and to be able to apply the acquired knowledge flexibly.
Another part of the sustainability strategy is the introduction of a "Studium Generale," including a thematic focus on sustainability. Other thematic focuses include the Digital World, Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Gender & Diversity, and the Philosophy of Science. The Studium Generale is open to all students at the University of Bayreuth.
The University of Bayreuth has several courses, independent study programs, and supplementary study programs dedicated to sustainability. These include, for example:
Independent Study Programmes
Supplementary Study Programmes
- Supplementary study programme in Sustainability
- Courses within the supplementary study programme in Sustainability
- Supplementary study programme in Intersectionality Studies
- Courses within the supplementary study programme in Intersectionality Studies
- Supplementary study programme in Environmental Law
- Courses within the supplementary study programme in Environmental Law
Studium Generale
The 'Wandelwoche' is a program of the platform forum1.5 which originates from a research project of the Chair of Urban and Regional Development. The forum1.5 aims to bring together as many actors as possible from all sectors of society interested in implementing climate protection initiatives. The 'Wandelwoche' is open to all and offers a wide range of topics related to climate and environmental protection (including energy transition).
In addition, the "Zentrum Globals Lernen" in Bavaria (ZGL) at the University of Bayreuth understands its task to develop Global Learning in Bavaria intensively, to offer practice-oriented application examples in a modular way for lessons, further education, and other educational programs, as well as to transfer scientific findings into society. In the context of teacher education, Global Learning/Education for Sustainable Development is anchored in the LPO I in § 33 as a content-related examination requirement for all subjects. Under the guiding principle of sustainable development, global learning serves the goal of transforming society. Considering ecological, social, and economic dimensions, all people should be enabled to participate equally in material, natural and cultural goods, also in the future. In the sense of lifelong learning, the focus is on skills in dealing with complexity, intercultural learning, and uncertainties.
Furthermore, the annually organized Sustainability Week by the Student Parliament in collaboration with GreenCampus and the Vice President for Digitalization, Innovation, and Sustainability takes place. The goal is to explore the theme of sustainability from various perspectives and keep it visible on the campus. The primary target audience consists of students without specific expertise, but also the entire campus community and individuals from the surrounding area are invited to participate. Through lectures, workshops, discussions, or guided tours, insights into the university's research activities, solution strategies, and the active involvement of students are provided.
The objective is to emphasize that sustainability is not a one-dimensional topic with a single solution. Since 2023, the University's Sustainability Award has also been presented by the President during the Sustainability Week.
Also of interest: rankings
The successes in the research and teaching conducted at the University of Bayreuth are also reflected in the national and international rankings, for example at the "Nature Index".