Theory Meets Practice: formats for development of sustainability solutions
Freiburg, 31/03/2026
On the “Transdisciplinary and transformative” sustainability education project, students will learn to develop sustainability solutions. So, the project team is building a digital platform for teachers and initiating learning formats with partners from science, business, politics and civil society.
At a kickoff event, representatives from teaching, higher education and management networked with the project team. Photo: Sustainability Innovation Campus (ICN)
Heatwaves and water shortages, structural economic change and a loss of confidence in democratic processes and social safeguards: Baden-Württemberg faces a range of sustainability challenges. A new project by the Sustainability Innovation Campus (ICN) – a joint project by the University of Freiburg and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) – aims to enable teachers and students to respond to them effectively. The Transdisciplinary and transformative sustainability education project (TTNB) aims to strengthen sustainability research in Baden-Württemberg and is piloting measures at selected universities. The project will form part of the Future Contract programme of the German Federal Government and the Federal States until February 2028, and is receiving EUR 2.4 million in funding from the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts (MWK). A kick-off event in March gave information about the project and allowed representatives from teaching, higher education and management to network with the project team.
Project fills a gap in higher education teaching
“We’re very pleased that we are able to realise this project together with KIT as an educational project of the Sustainability Innovation Campus. Broadening our knowledge of how our societies can be shaped more sustainably is not only of the utmost scientific relevance. With teaching and knowledge transfer we are also making a direct investment in the quality of life of future generations,” says Prof. Dr. Melanie Arndt, Vice Rector for Internationalisation and Sustainability at the University of Freiburg.
The project adopts a holistic and integrated approach. It takes into account the interactions between the sustainability dimensions of the environment, social issues and the economy. Transdisciplinary education promotes cooperation between students and partners from business, politics, government and civil society. Transformative education teaches methods for developing sustainability solutions and creates memorable learning experiences that encourage reflection on associated values.
“Broadening our knowledge of how our societies can be shaped more sustainably is not only of the utmost scientific relevance. With teaching and knowledge transfer we are also making a direct investment in the quality of life of future generations.”
Prof. Dr Melanie Arndt
Vice Rector for Internationalisation and Sustainability at the University of Freiburg
Digital teaching & learning laboratories
The project includes plans for digital teaching & learning laboratories which enable interactive learning about innovative sustainability solutions, as well as preparing teachers and students for cooperation with real-life partners. It will draw on analogue, digital and hybrid formats that make judicious use of artificial intelligence. ‘TransImpactHubs’ will also form a permanent interface between higher education and practice, uniting representatives of science, business, politics and civil society with teachers and students in cooperative learning formats. The teaching & learning opportunities and results of the cooperative formats will be accessible to all higher education teachers and other interested parties on a digital platform.
“The project will fill major gaps in higher education teaching in Baden-Württemberg, by creating a home for transdisciplinary and transformative teaching and at the same time rethinking the digital transformation. Digitalisation is one of the great challenges and also opportunities for sustainability. Digital solutions are on the one hand a means of advancing sustainability; on the other, digitalisation demands a lot of resources and creates social inequity. The project will reflect on these conflicting aspects and attempt to develop sustainable and digital solutions for teaching and studying,” says Prof. Dr. Kora Kristof, Vice President Digitalization and Sustainability at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).
“The project will fill major gaps in higher education teaching in Baden-Württemberg, by creating a home for transdisciplinary and transformative teaching and at the same time rethinking the digital transformation. Digitalisation is one of the great challenges and also opportunities for sustainability.“
Prof. Dr Kora Kristof
Vice President Digitalization and Sustainability at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Practical resources for teachers to help students develop their skills
Looking ahead, the digital service aims to improve the problem-solving skills of students and train them as specialists and managers who can shape sustainability innovations. To provide students with new opportunities, the project focuses on supporting higher education teachers, and to this end the team will be awarding a prize for teaching, and fellowships. This is intended to give teachers the chance to contribute their ideas to the design of the project’s core activities and thus realise innovative teaching projects.
Dr. Katja Brundiers from the Transformative Sustainability Science group at the University of Freiburg and Dr. Susanne Gerstberger from the Karlsruhe Transformation Center for Sustainability and Cultural Change (KAT) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are heading the project.
The Sustainability Innovation Campus
The Sustainability Innovation Campus (ICN) is an initiative of the University of Freiburg and KIT. It is funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts. As an interface between science and practice, the ICN supports transdisciplinary research, development and education projects into sustainability transformation and initiates appropriate innovation ecosystems. Its key areas are climate protection, conservation of resources and well-being.