The University of Cologne is driving sustainability forward, with clear targets to integrate sustainable practices more firmly in all areas of the university by 2030. Some measures have already been implemented. With the new Sustainability Research Hub, for example, the University has created a networking platform for research and sustainability. In the ‘Sustainability Lunch Talks’ series, researchers discuss how laboratories can operate in a more sustainability-oriented manner through Green Lab initiatives, for example with energy-efficient equipment and less disposable plastic. Or the speakers discuss how research findings on climate change can more effectively impact society through artistic collaborations with schools.
“We promote a shared culture of sustainability put into practice,” says Professor Dr Kirk W. Junker, Vice-Rector for Sustainability. Starting in the winter semester 2025/26, students can enroll in the new Joint International Master of Environmental Sustainability (JIMES) in cooperation with Bharati Vidyapeeth University in India. By combining interdisciplinary expertise with a compulsory exchange semester, the degree programme equips students with a global perspective on climate and environmental protection. Rector Professor Dr Joybrato Mukherjee says: “As one of the largest universities in Germany, we bear responsibility for a liveable future. With an innovative research environment, international degree programmes, and an environmentally conscious campus, we demonstrate that research and teaching are key drivers of the transition towards a more climate-friendly world, and that we are willing to take responsibility for it.”
The new Sustainability Action Fund, which supports innovative ideas and individual commitment, is open to all members of the university. For example, a funded group in biology transforms outdoor spaces into flowering zones that serve as habitats for insects and birds and improve water storage. Another group puts the Green Lab approach into practice by testing measures to reduce plastic consumption in the laboratory. Various spots can be discovered across campus on the new Sustainability Walk. New photovoltaic systems and other infrastructure measures are making university operations increasingly climate-friendly.
These measures and many other projects are included in the recently published implementation plan for the sustainability strategy, which defines the university’s goals through 2030 and further integrates sustainability in research, teaching, knowledge transfer, and operations.
Media Contact:
Lukas Plenk
Personal Aide to the Vice-Rector for Sustainability
+49 221 470-5909
lukas.plenk@uni-koeln.de
Dr Pamela Kilian
Head of the Sustainability Office
+49 221 470 5604
nachhaltigkeit@verw.uni-koeln.de
Press and Communications Team:
Jan Voelkel
+49 221 470 2356
j.voelkel@verw.uni-koeln.de