Globe held by hands
Globe held by hands

Student participation

Made by Studis

University teaching in the sense of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) includes not only thematic links to the topic of sustainability and a methodological and didactic (re)orientation, but above all the rethinking of teaching-learning relationships and, as a result, the active participation of students in the development and design of teaching. Education for Sustainable Development at the University of Konstanz therefore thrives on opportunities and freedom for student participation, especially when it comes to teaching.

Student participation opportunities in the area of sustainability in teaching

Green Office

The Green Office of the University of Konstanz is the student-run sustainability office and the first point of contact for all student concerns, ideas and requests relating to sustainability. From the very beginning, the Green Office has had a strong focus on the further development of teaching and the anchoring of sustainability.

Do you want to get involved, have ideas or questions about student teaching development in the area of sustainability? Then please contact the Green Office project coordinator for teaching and research directly.

Working group teaching and science communication

The Sustainable Development Working Group is made up of members from all status groups and collects ideas, develops concepts and formulates recommendations for action to guide the University of Konstanz's strategic decisions in the area of sustainability. The sub-working group teaching and science communication focusses on information, communication and networking on the one hand and on the expansion and bundling of teaching on sustainable development at the University of Konstanz on the other.

Like all sub-working groups of the Sustainable Development Working Groug, the teaching and science communication sub-working group is also open to interested students.

Are you interested in joining the teaching and science sommunication sub-working group? Then please get in touch with us.

Sustainability Hub

At the University of Konstanz's Sustainability Hub, students and anyone interested can network with other people involved in the realisation of sustainability projects, take up project ideas or post their own, look for and find fellow campaigners for implementation and become part of the sustainability community at the University of Konstanz. There is also the opportunity to join projects related to sustainability in teaching or to set up your own.

Best-Practice qualification N: What can student participation look like?

The student-led Green Office laid the foundations for qualification N in the 2017/2018 winter semester by initiating the design and implementation of a sustainability certificate at the University of Konstanz. The modular structure and the central linking of sustainability-related courses with the possibility of networking on the one hand and the realisation of an individual project on the other were conceived under the leadership of the dedicated students. What began as a student project was taken up by the university, has now been institutionalised and is coordinated and continuously developed by the Green Office, the Centre for Transferable Skills and the Staff Unit Sustainability.

Participants in qualification N discuss in fishbowl format
Participants in qualification N discuss in fishbowl format

On the one hand, the history of the development of the sustainability certificate therefore testifies to the proactive and committed role of students in the development of teaching towards sustainability. On the other hand, its creation also shows how a successful combination of student commitment and institutional anchoring can look and how the university can (and must) create the necessary freedom and support opportunities so that students can contribute and implement their ideas for innovative and sustainable teaching.