"We define sustainability as a pattern of ecological, social and economic action that is intended to ensure comparable or continually improving standards of living for present and future generations."
What is our aim?
As a sustainable university, Ruhr University Bochum will make a decisive contribution to the global challenges by 2030 at the latest. This requires binding goals and a sustainability strategy that is supported by the university community.
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Sustainability is a basic component of the strategy of a modern university. This does not only include sustainability in administration, operations and construction, but also content in research, transfer and teaching.
Our mission until 2030
The complex set of sustainability goals involves challenges and opportunities. By 2030 at the latest, the projects layed out in our mission statement and strategy are to be achieved.
Mission Statement
The mission statement sets out: our Ruhr University will be considered a sustainable university by 2030 at the latest. The basis of this goal is our understanding of sustainability.
Our mission statement describes the university's drive to move as a community towards a sustainable RUB 2030. In doing so, our Ruhr University is guided by the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
"As part of our societal mandate, we strive to be the catalyst and pool of knowledge for the creation of sustainability. In
its capacity as a sustainable university, RUB will substantially contribute to the greatest challenges of our world by 2030. In
this respect, we are aligning ourselves with the SDGs, with a particular focus on those in which we already carry out excellent research. We are strategically building up further profile focal areas. As a scientific and educational institution for future generations, as an employer and as a partner in shaping a sustainable future in the city of Bochum and the Ruhr Area,
we are aware of our responsibility and role model function."
- Full text Mission Statement (PDF)
- Interview about the Mission Statement with Andreas Löschel and rector Martin Paul
In 2015, the United Nations agreed on 17 Sustainable Development Goals, ranging from ending poverty and hunger to climate protection, gender equality or transparency in institutions.
The Agenda for Sustainable Development is a roadmap to 2030 that addresses governments worldwide, but also civil society, the private sector and academia - all of whom are to align their actions with these goals.
The vision is to enable people all over the world to live in prosperity and peace and to protect our planet from further damage. Many members of Ruhr University contribute to the 2030 agenda with their work.
Our path to our sustainability strategy
Building on the mission statement, a sustainability task force is currently developing a sustainability strategy. But not on its own: through working groups in the think tank and the sustainability office, students and employees are contributing ideas and impulses.
By no means is this intended to be a top-down process, but rather a cordial invitation to the entire university community.
- Development of the strategy and coordination (ongoing)
- Publication of the strategy during the winter term 2023/2024
- First Sustainability Week at the university from 10/16 to 10/20
- First sustainability report by the end of 2023
We aim to present our sustainability performance in a comprehensible and transparent way. The report is intended to be an instrument to communicate how we take on social responsibility. In doing so, we are guided by the university-specific sustainability code of the German Council for Sustainable Development.
Our Community
Students, technical and administrative staff, academic staff, alumni, the city's population and everyone who feels attached to Ruhr University: Our community is diverse, interested and committed and there are opportunities for everyone who is looking for information or wants to make a contribution.
Main points of contact
National networks
- Together with 15 other universities, Ruhr University Bochum is part of the „Humboldtⁿ“ initiative, which was initiated out of the Landesrektorenkonferenz (State Rectors' Conference). The initiative aims to promote the topic of sustainability at universities in NRW. The sustainability projects are documented in a virtual sustainability map - this also includes the activities of Ruhr University.
International networks
- Ruhr University Bochum is part of the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN). The ISCN has set itself the task of promoting the embedding of sustainability in teaching, administration and research. Member universities are expected to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Ruhr University is a member of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) and cooperates with like-minded partner universities that also focus on socially relevant research with a focus on the global sustainability goals. The WUN is a leading global higher education and research network with 26 full universities on six continents.
- Ruhr University is part of the international university consortium UNIC - European University of Post-Industrial Cities, which is an association of ten universities dedicated to promoting student mobility, social integration and sustainability activities.
Sustainability portal