Sustainability needs participation
Universities are places where students are trained in sustainability. They produce knowledge and have access to diverse networks. Achieving far-reaching changes requires the cooperation of all societal stakeholders – which makes universities key players on the path to greater sustainability. In fact, Münster’s three largest institutions of higher education – the University of Münster, the Münster University of Applied Sciences and the Catholic University of Applied Sciences of North Rhine-Westphalia – can do more to take full advantage of their potential in the area of sustainability transformation. This is the finding of a study conducted by the Center for Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research (ZIN) at the University of Münster and StadtLabor Münster as part of the joint project “SUNRISE LAB – Sustainable University Landscape Münster”. The aim was to find out where university members, from students to professors, see barriers and potentials for greater commitment to sustainability.
“A fundamental change in awareness has already taken place at the University of Münster – sustainability issues are becoming more and more of a focus. However, many interviewees noted that so far, beyond ecological factors, hardly any social aspects of sustainability have been taken into account,” says Dr Rebecca Froese from ZIN, assessing the results. Almost 1,000 people from the three universities took part in the survey. Around 70 percent stated that they would like to become more involved in sustainability. A quarter are already active in this regard during their studies or at work. Almost all the respondents emphasised the high motivation of individuals, which has driven many initiatives to date, while at the same time criticising the lack of participation rights, too many small-scale projects and insufficient financial, personnel and time capacities to participate in comprehensive change.
According to the research team, changes are therefore required above all in university policy, in internal and external collaboration and in research and teaching practices. In order to promote commitment to sustainability, it is the task of university management to “democratise central structures”, strengthen interdisciplinary cooperation in research and teaching and create scope for individual commitment. Almost half of those surveyed would like to be given time off to take on sustainability-related tasks, for example. “Change can only succeed if it is tackled by as many players as possible at all levels and with different strategies,” emphasises co-author Dr Tobias Breuckmann from the Institute of Geography. “There is a lot of motivation and potential at the University to advance the sustainability transformation. This requires participatory structures and resources.” This also includes getting underrepresented groups, such as students, involved in decision-making processes. In this context, some interviewees called for an equal place at the table in university committees, for example. This and other exchange formats could help stakeholders at different levels to network better with each other and thereby pool knowledge and strategies.
The University of Münster has already created central contact points at the administrative level with a Vice-Rectorate for International Affairs, Transfer and Sustainability and a Sustainability Office. Overarching goals are anchored in the Sustainability Strategy. Nevertheless, 87 percent of those surveyed stated that they felt the University had not yet provided them with sufficient support in their commitment, even though they viewed the Rectorate’s efforts positively. “We are always available to all members of the University when it comes to problems, new ideas or projects, and are happy to receive suggestions,” emphasises Nico Schäfer, head of the Sustainability Office. Measures have already been developed and implemented in collaboration with the faculties and departments. In addition, a new “sustainability competence area” has been created in General Studies, which enables students to better handle the topic.
Building on the study’s findings, the “SUNRISE LAB” participants at the three universities have now set up five “real-world laboratories” on topics such as biodiversity and material cycles, in which stakeholders from science, business, society and politics come together. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding the project. “Universities can provide important impetus for a transformation towards greater sustainability,” emphasises Rebecca Froese. “We want to use experimental formats to involve people in these processes, not only to create acceptance, but also to actively promote change at the University, in the city and in the region."
Author: Julia Harth
This article is from the University newspaper wissen|leben No. 5, 17 July 2024.