Sustainability is also strongly embedded in research and teaching in Hessen. An enormous range of study programs and research projects as well as collaborations between the numerous educational institutions, companies, and clusters form the foundations for a sustainable economy in Hessen. Companies can find numerous well-trained new employees with in-depth knowledge of issues around sustainability and climate protection. Are you looking to contact local universities and institutions? We will be happy to connect you with the right people.
Numerous Hessian universities have developed their own sustainability strategy. This means that they not only teach sustainability concepts, but also actively practice them.
Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences (Frankfurt UAS) plays a pioneering role in this regard. It adopted their own sustainability strategy before most other universities and, thanks to the steps it has consistently taken, is the first to bear the official title of Fairtrade University.
The Technical University of Darmstadt publishes its sustainability reports transparently through its digital Sustainability Compass platform. It is also a member of the Universities for Sustainable Development in Darmstadt (HONEDA) and actively participates in the Hessen Day of Sustainability.
In addition to the steps taken in everyday university life, Hessian educational institutions host a large number of research projects on the subject of sustainability.
Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences (known as h_da) has established a research focus on electromobility (fsemo) that develops holistic solutions for individualized and sustainable future mobility in a cross-university collaboration – including the thematic pillars of Energy, Infrastructure/IT and Socio-Economy. The project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
With its caREL (Computer-Aided Renewable Energy Language) project, the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences is identifying the best and most profitable locations for wind and solar power plants. This project will be used as a basis for the implementation of the federal government’s climate protection goals and the European Green Deal. The project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
A team of researchers from universities in the region took part in the Clusters4Future competition run by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF in Darmstadt and the Institute for Animal Ecology and Nature Education in Laubach. Their SENSORITHM Rhein-Main project aims to use intelligent sensor technologies on wind turbines to avoid collisions with birds and bats and to develop self-learning sensor systems for monitoring technical components and systems.
Justus Liebig University Giessen has launched the SDG partnership on Planetary Utilization of Sustainability Strategies, together with eight partner universities from southern Africa and Latin America. The project is supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with funds from the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The UN Sustainable Development Goals are implemented in specific projects and the transfer of knowledge to countries such as Mozambique, Namibia and Ecuador is also promoted.
In collaboration with and supported by the Frankfurt-based House of Logistics and Mobility (HOLM), Technische Universität (TU) Darmstadt is also developing new ways to reduce delivery traffic in cities – through parcel deliveries by tram. The research project explores the practical feasibility of using public transport for combined freight and passenger transport.
The University of Kassel collaborates with local municipal utilities, the WOHNSTADT Stadtentwicklungs- und Wohnungsbaugesellschaft and the Gesellschaft für rationelle Energienutzung on the topic of energy-efficient living space. The aim of the collaboration between engineering, legal and economic researchers is to create legally sound foundations for the energy-efficient renovation of larger residential buildings.
Hessian universities have traditionally worked closely with the industry to put research findings directly into practice. This includes numerous collaborations in the field of sustainability.
Together with Deutsche Bahn, the Technische Universität (TU) Darmstadt has formed an innovation alliance in which joint teams carry out ongoing work on future-focused topics such as environmentally friendly rail transport, cybersecurity, mobility management, urban logistics and infrastructure issues in order to make optimal use of interdisciplinary synergies.
The HESSENMETALL regional association, the HESSENMETALL Rhein-Main-Taunus district group and the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences (Frankfurt UAS) have entered into a cooperation agreement. Through this, companies of the metal and electrical industry in the region benefit from close and direct contact with Frankfurt UAS. At the same time, the partners are stepping up the dialogue between business, research and teaching with joint events and projects. Key future-focused topics include Industry 4.0, Big Data, intelligent products, mobility and logistics as well as digitization of the working world and sustainability.
As part of a strategic collaboration between the Technische Universität (TU) Darmstadt and the Hessian company Merck, a research platform called the Sustainability Hub was established. Its focus is on the circular economy, digital sustainability, responsible use of raw materials and novel biologically inspired processes and procedures.
Ten Hessian companies of different sizes across various industries have founded a cooperation project entitled ‘Pathways to a climate-neutral company’ together with the Department of Environmentally Friendly Products and Processes at the University of Kassel. As well as training courses and seminars, an individual roadmap to climate neutrality is created for each company. Based on the knowledge gained, the researchers develop general guidelines that are made available to policymakers.
The company Rinn Beton- und Naturstein from Heuchelheim, which was recognized for its ecological and social commitment as Germany’s most sustainable medium-sized company in 2018, has entered a collaboration with aspiring industrial engineers with a focus on Life Cycle Management at the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM) University of Applied Sciences.
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