Save-the-date: Spring Campus Conference 2020, Freie Universität Berlin, 31.08-04.09.2020
6 March 2020
Photo: Bernd Wannenmacher
Spring Campus Conference 2020 | Commitments for Future: Sustainability in Higher Education. Call for Applications are still open!
The Freie Universität Berlin is delighted to announce that the calls for abstracts for oral & poster presentations for the 5th Spring Campus Conference of the University Alliance for Sustainability: “Commitments for Future: Sustainability in Higher Education” are now open. The conference will be hosted at Freie Universität Berlin from 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 August 31 will address those commitment questions in keynotes 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 (September 1 - 2), the conference will continue with a program of parallel research and management workshops:
- Workshop I: "Financial Markets and Sustainable Development in Times of Climate Change" chaired 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" chaired by Dr. Maria Rosaria di Nucci and Bettina Tacke (Freie Universität Berlin)
- Workshop III: "Higher Education for Sustainability in Turbulent Times" chaired by Prof. Inka Bormann, Dr. Mandy Singer-Brodowski and Nora Große (Freie Universität Berlin) and Prof. Robert VanWynsberghe (University of British Columbia)
- Workshop IV1: "Universities on the Way to Climate Neutrality" organized by Andreas Wanke and Katrin Schweigel (Freie Universität Berlin)
Additionally, a PhD Conference will be organized, which will conclude the Spring Campus with a two-day meeting on Thursday and Friday (September 3 – 4).
- PhD Workshop I: "Unlocking and Transitioning – Strategies and Policies for a Sustainable World" organized by Prof. Kurt Hübner (University of British Columbia)
- PhD Workshop II: "Sustainable Development Research – an Interdisciplinary Chance or Challenge?" organized by PD Dr. Berthold Kuhn (Freie Universität Berlin)
The Freie Universität Berlin invites researchers, practitioners, PhD students to submit contributions for the research and management workshops. Two PhD Workshops will conclude the Spring Campus Conference with a two-day meeting on Thursday and Friday (September 3 – 4). Further information and the calls for contributions for the Spring Campus Conference 2020 are available on this website. In case of any questions you are welcome to contact UAS network manager Katrin Schweigel (Katrin.schweigel"AT"fu-berlin.de).
1The FU Berlin is the first university in Germany to declare a climate emergency. Therefore, the topic of the management workshop changed to "Universities on the Way to Climate Neutrality". (edited 27.01.2020)
