Sustainability in Research
Research – Science and Technology for Society
Our goal is to make our research more sustainable, establishing sustainability as a core topic in all faculties, Profile Areas, and research projects, and providing solutions for a sustainable transformation of our society.
From the Sustainability Mission Statement
Sustainability is understood as a central cross-cutting task and is therefore considered in all spheres of action and areas of work at RWTH. Three GreenTeams (teaching and learning, research, and operations) have been established in order to implement the commitment to a more sustainable RWTH in everyday university life, as stipulated in the Sustainability Mission Statement.
Regular meetings, which are open to all university members, enable participation in the further process and ensure that different perspectives are taken into account in the discussions.
The Research GreenTeams is headed by Professor Kathrin Greiff, Rector's Delegate for Sustainability. You are welcome to register informally by email.
More information about the GreenTeams and other participation formats can be found under Participation in the Sustainability Process on the Help Build a Sustainable RWTH page.
Let's create the world of tomorrow – with cycles for sustainable living!
Professor Kathrin Greiff
Rector's Delegate for Sustainability With a Focus on Research
Funding for Sustainability-Related Research
The major funding organizations generally provide funding for sustainability research, either through general or subject-specific funding programs. The ELFI database, which you can use free of charge at RWTH, assists you in your search for funding opportunities – just go to the Cross-Cutting Topics section and use “sustainability” or “environment,” for example, as keywords in your search. Also, refer to the Third Party Funding web page provided by Division 4.2 for further information on external funding opportunities.
Guiding Questions Catalog to Consider Sustainability in the DFG's Research Process
The German Research Foundation (DFG) also wants to embed aspects of sustainability in its actions. In order to take sustainability aspects into account in the research process, the DFG has developed a catalog of guiding questions that are intended to provide suggestions and guidance in the conception phase of a project. It shows which aspects could be considered when it comes to an environmentally friendly and resource-saving design of research processes.