2016 Report on Progress UN Principles for Responsible Management Education
Our Profile_
Our Profile
Reutlingen University is one of Germany’s Our Main Fields of Study leading universities, offering international academic programs with close ties to industry e.g. Applied Chemistry, and commerce. On our campus we have Biomedical Sciences, around 6000 students spread across five Environmental different schools: Applied Chemistry, ESB Protection Business School, Informatics, Engineering, and Textile & Design. e.g. International Professors, visiting lecturers as well as Business Studies, administrative and technical staff guide these Industrial Engineering talented young people along their academic (Production path. The spirit of communication is very Management, Logistics Management) open-minded. On the one hand, most professors and lecturers maintain close contacts to companies and civil society e.g. Business groups. These exchanges and joint research Informatics, Media- networks ensure that we offer the best and Communication possible combination of theory and practice. Informatics, Medical- Technical Informatics On the other hand, student initiatives are more than welcome. Administrative and technical staff provides valuable support in e.g. Mechanical communicating and creating lecture series, Engineering, discussion panels and other student projects. Mechatronics, Power- and Micro-Electronics, Reutlingen University offers 45 different International Project degree programs at the bachelor and master Engineering level, in which we train the top executives of the future. All our degree programs are e.g. International accredited with internationally respected Fashion Retail, agencies. We feel obliged in supporting every Transportation Interior single student for a successful academic and Design, Textile professional career. Beyond regular Technology-Textile programs, the Knowledge Foundation, Management, Textile Design- Fashion Design Reutlingen University’s continuing education unit, offers a range of part-time executive degree programs, individually tailored management programs and further training opportunities for experienced specialist and management personnel. We consider the diversity of our students as inspiration and enrichment.
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Our Vision_
Our Vision
Our society is getting more complex and multi- layered. We meet this challenge by combining Prof. Dr. Brumme traditional values of humanistic education President with high-tech development. We seek to “Our aim is to provide creative, encourage young minds to generate creative individual and life-long learning solutions. offers to assist committed people on their way toward responsible The Principles for Responsible Management leaders.” Education (PRiME) are leading guidelines for making our vision a living reality. We are committed to fostering global responsibility and we are proud to be a PRiME member. all schools and administrative branches developed concrete goals for the next five years. Responsible learning and teaching Living Global Values with digital assistance, diversity management Respect, responsibility and tolerance are the and assistance of young entrepreneurs as fundamental values young people need to well as digitalisation and internationality are grow in an international community. the top priorities amongst others. Reutlingen University is a university for engineering, business, informatics, applied chemistry as well as textile and design – no Renewal of our Commitment matter where students come from and where We see PRiME as continuous process for they want to go. Over 20% of our student reflection and improvement. This is our third population is non-German. They come from report on progress in which we document the over 90 different countries. From September major achievements since 2014 and our until December 2016 we will offer an future objectives. The most important effect orientation semester for refugees to start or of this regular reporting procedure is the continue their studies in Reutlingen or at constant exchange of individual activities that another German university. Every semester serve to implement the six principles for around 600 Reutlingen students go abroad. responsible management education. We cooperate with more than 140 partner universities world-wide. We renew our commitment to proceed on this path to educate responsible future managers
and workers in cooperation with our Responsible University stakeholders and to exchange effective practices related to these principles with Looking inside the university’s other academic institutions. administration, we developed a concept for our next steps towards improving our stand as a high quality, diverse and responsible university. In a transparent and cooperative process professors and staff members from Prof. Dr. Hendrik Brumme President of Reutlingen University
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Contents
Our Profile_ p.2 Our Vision_ p.3 Principle 1_ Purpose p.5 Principle 2_ Values p.8 Principle 3_ Method p.13 Principle 4_ Research p.20 Principle 5_ Partnership p.25 Principle 6_ Dialogue p.28
Imprint
Issued by Reutlingen University Reutlingen, August 2016
Contact: Dr. Ulrike Baumgärtner [email protected]
Reutlingen University Office for ethics and sustainability Building 2; Room 010 Alteburgstr. 150 D-72762 Reutlingen Phone: 0049 (0)7121 271-1065
Image rights: Reutlingen University or private
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Principle 1 | Purpose
Principle 1 | Purpose
We will develop the capabilities of students to be future generators of sustainable value for business
and society at large and to work for an inclusive and sustainable global economy.
The “Ethikum” certificate is The professionally designed course flyer. handed over by the university’s president, 2015.
Office-Opening with wooden usb-sticks, 2014. 2nd PRME Chapter Meeting of DACH countries, October 2014 in Chur, Switzerland.
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Principle 1 | Purpose
Overview
Successful change management needs Prof. Dr. Banke, Ethics Officer dedicated people. „Man muss noch Chaos in The team for ethics and sustainable sich haben, um einen development at Reutlingen University works tanzenden Stern gebären zu to inspire colleagues and students with the können.“ idea of global responsibility. Thus the first Friedrich Nietzsche: part of this progress report concentrates on Also sprach Zarathustra human resource development in the team (1883-1891). and the shifts in its working areas.
development is constantly growing. Presently, Major Achievements around 100 students are working on their “Ethikum” certificate. In 2014, Prof. Banke Human Resources supervised nine students. To receive the Since January 2015, the team for ethics and “Ethikum” certificate students need 100 sustainable development has expanded. It “ethic credit points” and three graded course consists now of Prof. Dr. Bernd Banke, Prof. attestations. For each course, students Dr.-Ing. Martin Pfost, Dr. Ulrike Baumgärtner obtain 20 ethic credit points on average and a student assistant. Usually the (depending on the workload of the course). assistants work for one semester in the team. Eight students received the “Ethikum” He or she takes care of the online-based certificate in 2015 and 2016. administration of our extra-curricular courses Our courses are embedded in and the “Ethikum” program. Apart from these “StudierenPlus”, a university-wide program administrative tasks, he or she contributes a that aims at fostering social, cross-cultural, student’s perspective to our activities. This is rhetorical and ethical skills which go beyond a valuable contribution to meet the overall professional expertise. student’s expectations and their time schedules at the university. From May 2015 until June 2016 Raphaela Increasing Visibility Swadosch was the consultant for ethics and Firstly, our ethics and sustainability office sustainable development while Uli moved into a new office space in 2015. Baumgärtner was on paternal leave. Thanks Before we were seated in a corner of a regular to an overlapping phase at the beginning and professor’s office. The ethics and end of this period, the work flow could be sustainability program at Reutlingen managed without interruption. To help make University has now an address. For both this happen, the university’s steering students and staff we are now easily committee granted additional financial reachable on the campus. For special resources. occasions, such as the office opening or the good-bye-party of Raphaela Swadosch, we invite professors, staff, interested students Increasing Participation and partners. This allows us to inform In the last years, the participation at our extra- students, staff and teachers about our work curricular courses in ethics and sustainable in a pleasant atmosphere and it is a welcomed occasion to network.
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Principle 1 | Purpose
In order to increase the visibility of our can graduate without having learned about program, the “Ethikum” certificate is now ethics and sustainability. The growing handed over by the university’s president at integration of our program and the school his official speech at the beginning of each curriculum leads to a greater visibility, semester. acceptance and attendance of our courses. Further developments in this direction are Change your perspective! We developed a envisaged and are being worked on. moto for our program that follows the idea of the character John Keating in the movie Dead Poets Society. Just like in the scene where the popular English teacher stands on a Future Objectives classroom table, we took a picture standing on a classroom table for our course program. The fourth regional DACH meeting takes In the summer semester 2015 the course place in November 2016 in Austria and is flyer was for the first time designed by a planned as a research conference. To this professional agency. end, we seek to present a first paper on our research project that aims at transferring Furthermore, we decided not to print out our knowledge on corporate social responsibility last PRiME report on paper. Instead we to the public sector of universities. Why do distributed it on a cool usb stick. People really university sign initiatives such as PRiME? enjoyed this gimmick. What are driving forces for change At most public events at the university we are management? And how does a “University present and inform visitors about our work. Social Responsibility” look like? These are For the first time, our team will moderate the leading questions we want to research on in opening ceremonies for new students in the near future. October 2016. A second objective is the development of a Finally, we have continued network activities code of conduct for the university. This idea is with other PRiME members in the regional fueled by the willingness of the ESB business chapter for Germany, Austria and Switzerland school as largest school to start such a (DACH). In October 2014, we participated at process. In September first talks will take an official meeting in Chur. At this meeting we place to discuss options for cooperation came up with the concept for a PRiME-related between the school and the ethics and research project. sustainability office. To conclude, more and more students, student assistance and visiting lectures that Increasing Commitment are bound to our program leave the In the last two years not only has the number university. That is why the idea of an alumni- of participating students in our program network was born. We envisage a meeting increased significantly. Students are also once a year where alumni and students that increasingly committed to attend our courses currently participate in our program are and finish the “Ethikum”. In some degree invited for exchanging job opportunities, programs at the school of textile and design it common goals or strategies to enhance is obligatory to attend extra-curricular courses global responsibility. or engage in social projects and receive so called “social credits”. Graduating students must show 10 social credits. Our office agreed with the school that 15 ethical credits can be converted in 1 social credit. In the end, this means that no Textile and Design student
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Principle 2 | Values
Principle 2 | Values
We will incorporate into our academic activities and curricula the values of global social responsibility as portrayed in international initiatives such as the United Nations Global Compact.
New Master Degree Program on energy Youth Fashion Summit, textiles systems and efficiency, engineering 2015. and design 2016.
School project, informatics 2016. Business Plan: OmniCare, business school 2016.
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Principle 2 | Values
Overview hopes that other universities follow this example in the near future. This chapter elaborates on the diverse projects the five schools at Reutlingen University undertake to incorporate values of Activities at the ESB Business School global responsibility in their academic In this section I highlight two projects that are activities and curricula. To conclude this newly developed at the ESB Business School, chapter, I describe the range of courses the largest school at Reutlingen University. students may attend in the realm of our extra- The first project is Partnership University in curricular ethics and sustainability program. South East Asia and the second is a concept In the last two years we intensified the on care services developed by students in a interdependency between the schools and business plan seminar. our program. Students at textiles and design The project “Making Business Engineering are obliged to take initiative in learning more (BE) happen in South East Asia” is co-funded beyond the scope of their field. In order to by the DAAD (German Academic Exchange graduate, they must document that they have Service). It aims at establishing a bachelor attended courses beyond their curriculum double degree program in International with a workload of 10 ECTS credits in total. Operations and Logistics Management, at Here, our course program matches perfectly. developing a BE Network and at founding a On the administrative level we agreed that 15 BE journal with scientific and economic ethical credits can be converted to 1 ECTS contributions. In April 2016, representatives credit. from University Malaysia Pahang, Institut Teknologi Bandung (Indonesia) and Ho Chi Minh City International University (Vietnam) Major Achievements as well as business representatives from the company WIHA visited the ESB Business Please note, the size of the individual schools School. They hold a two-day workshop to varies significantly. The school of applied discuss and define the next steps and chemistry, for instance, offers six degree milestones for the project. programs whereas the ESB business school has 15. A student idea on care services, which was conceived during a business plan seminar at Besides, this report only presents new Reutlingen University, impressed a jury for projects. Courses and initiatives that are young entrepreneurs. The student group already listed in our 2014 report are not developed a tool for relatives of people in mentioned any more. need of care in matching their individual needs with care providers and care services. Activities at the School of Applied Chemistry “OmniCare“, as they call the tool, is an answer to the complex, rapidly growing market of care PETA, a German animal rights group, praises services. It is designed to help customers the animal-friendly teaching methods at the navigate their way through this opaque school of applied chemistry in Reutlingen. market. The innovative business idea They publicly stated that they are happy to convinced the jury and won a 3000 euro grant see the excellent teaching without any from the city of Reutlingen. experiments on animal. In doing so, Reutlingen University saves thousands of animals from pain, suffering and death. Herewith, the university is a role model. PETA
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Principle 2 | Values
Activities at the School of Informatics The school of informatics established three Roman Feldmann Student new projects that are described in this section. “In my opinion distributed energy systems are very important in the Firstly, Reutlingen University and the future. This study program is a Business University Krakau (Poland) signed great opportunity to learn about an ERASMUS treaty. This means the two different energy technologies and universities enhance not only the exchange of successful business models. It is ⁺ inspiring to be part of the energy students but also the exchange of academic system transition.” and administrative staff. Prof. Dr. Hertweck, Herman Hollerith Zentrum (HHZ) at Since summer 2015, students can study Reutlingen University, emphasizes that this „Dezentrale Energiesysteme und exchange program is an important step Energieeffizienz“ at Reutlingen University. towards a tight partnership between the This master program trains future experts in universities. The school of informatics and energy systems and efficiency. The school the HHZ will particularly profit from the cooperates with the Reutlinger plurality of chances for new international Energiezentrum and various well-known projects according to Prof. Hertweck. companies in the field regarding research Secondly, graduate students in informatics projects that combine practical challenges teach courses requested by undergraduates. and applications. This cross-linked training The so-called “Informatikwerkstatt” is a and research concept prepares young people student project for students. Graduate perfectly for their future carriers. Topics of students, for example, are now teaching basic energy technology, business management or informatics courses to freshman students. the impact on society are all addressed in this And thirdly, the degree program medical- holistic approach. The Karl-Schlecht- technical informatics cooperates with the Foundation sponsors the master’s program. Laura-Schradin School in Reutlingen since Additionally, school of engineering hosts a summer 2015. The school is specialized in project on urban energy systems and biotechnologies. The project seeks to prepare sustainability. The overall project aims at high school graduates for university life with a innovative simulation and optimization concrete and practical project. Students in strategies for energy and resource their final year of high school design management as well as new business models measuring techniques with a bioreactor and for urban energy systems. Five case studies code a software program for recording and are employed for validation of the strategies evaluating data. The cooperation is very and models developed within the project. The popular among the school kids and working package at Reutlingen University professors. contains the development of intelligent energy management strategies to be implemented at the distributed systems for Activities at the School of Engineering an optimal control of energy producers, A newly established master program, an consumers and energy storages. innovative project on urban energy systems The third project of the school of engineering and sustainability, and a students’ project are is run by bachelor students of International the latest developments in the school of Project Engineering. Since summer 2015 the engineering described in this section. students have a YouTube channel called „IPtv“. Here, they publish videos that feature August 2016 10
Principle 2 | Values
the degree program or they give advice to raising more questions than presenting other students. The students’ team has answers. The Baden-Württemberg formulated a marketing plan as well as Foundation sponsors this project with 70,000 milestones for its implementation. The overall euro. SkypeLab connects universities and aim is to learn how project and team working artists around the globe. Those international can best be organized and structured, how experiences are most important for young interdisciplinary teams function and how people in our global society. leadership competencies can be gained. On October 13th 2015, Reutlingen University and Donghua University Shanghai conducted the „1st Chinese-German Textiles and Activities at the School of Textiles and Design Fashion Seminar“ in Shanghai. The seminar The school of textiles and design is most served as a platform for students to present active in initiating projects that foster global and discuss individual perspectives on the societal and environmental responsibility. In fashion and textile industry. 30 students took this section I describe five newly established part at the inter-cultural exchange of ideas. In activities. doing so, they were better able to understand In the winter semester 2015/2016 students the chances of internationalizing markets. At from the course “Fashion Chain” were asked the same time, differences in consumption for researching academic literature on behavior became visible. “Green Fashion Retail”. Thus students dealt Finally, four students of the degree program with topics such as sustainable fashion „International Fashion Retail“ took part as production and sustainable consumption and representatives of Reutlingen University at learned about its challenges. The course the Youth Fashion Summit in Copenhagen in seeks both transport expert’s knowledge of May 2016. The Youth Fashion Summit is part the specific working area and train of the Copenhagen Fashion Summit and methodological skills on how to write serves as speaking tube for international academic papers in preparation of the fashion students. The Fashion Summit is the bachelor’s thesis. The best papers are largest and most important conference on published in the edited volume “Green sustainability in the fashion industry. Fashion Retail” in mid-2016. Students are invited to exchange ideas with Furthermore, the faculty sets sustainability as CEOs, top designers and politicians. This is priority issue in the course “Global Structures designed to help the next generation to in the Textile Industry”. Concepts and influence today’s decisions that shape the challenges of sustainable supply chain world of tomorrow. Two months in advance management are of special interest here. students are asked to prepare a project that Students learn about the interplay of various transfers particular aspects of the United actors, procedures for code of conducts or re- Nations Sustainability Goals to the fashion arrangements of supply chains. industry. Another innovative research project and student course at the school is „SkypeLab – Extra-curricular Ethics and Sustainability Transcontinental Faces & Spaces“. The Courses international artwork project sheds light on A future objective in our last report is the the impact of digital tools and social networks organization of a regular “Ethikum- on art and design. It is structured in an open Colloquium” for students. We first started this fashion in order to create a space for offer in the winter semester 2014/2015. unprecedented outcomes. The project aims Students that are engaged in social projects at August 2016 11
Principle 2 | Values
such as coaching of pupils at secondary such a complementary teamwork. school, assisting refugees and international The more courses we offer in our ethics and students or supporting people with sustainability program the more complicated disabilities present their activities in the it gets trying to schedule everything. colloquium. Here students further learn basic According to our experience students do not aspects of ethics and sustainability and attend extra-curricular courses in the very exchange and reflect their individual beginning of the semester nor in the experiences. Students receive so-called preparation phase for exams. Thus, we try to “ethical credits” for participating in the offer our courses in between these phases. A colloquium. medium-term objective is to re-think the Having established a forum for exchanging conceptual organization of the courses as experiences on practical social engagement workshops on two or three days. First ideas we intensified the cooperation with exist for a one-hour lecture and discussion institutions, such as schools and church round during lunch time once a week. communities. Inspired by a presentation of In the long run, we try to convince faculty the institutions once a semester at the deans and professors to reform their regular campus more and more students get actively course work and integrate aspects of ethics engaged in social projects. and sustainability. Our program offers approximately ten courses each semester. Typical topics are introduction courses on ethics and sustainability in an online format or as three- day workshop. Additionally, we intend to meet the particular interests of our students at Reutlingen University. Thus we offer courses on specific issues, such as sustainable textile production, diversity management in companies, ethics and sustainability as components of systemic leadership or ethical problems in engineering and technical research.
Future Objectives Inspired and encouraged by the PRiME implementation workshop in Copenhagen in 2014 we seek to intensify the cooperation with the regular course program with the individual university departments. The next objective in the near future is to identify flagship courses where we could link our extra-curricular courses. Cooperating closer with school professors we may design courses that discuss issues regular seminars cannot address because of time constraints. Both sides could exceptionally profit from
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Principle 3 | Method
Principle 3 | Method
We will create educational frameworks, materials, processes and environments that enable effective
learning experiences for responsible leadership.
Business School Charity Team, 2015. GLIMPSE HUMANITARIAN FASHION at a Oikos Talk, 2016.
The Diversity Audit “Vielfalt gestalten”. The Learning Center, re-opening in 2014.
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Principle 3 | Method
Overview Didactic Institute at Reutlingen University This chapter presents a colorful spectrum of activities undertaken by members of In June 2016 the Didactic Institute at Reutlingen University to create inspiring and Reutlingen University opened. It invites helpful educational frameworks and professors, lecturers and students alike to materials. It encompasses new buildings, reflect their teaching and learning methods. institutes and initiatives and shows that the The Institute offers a variety of courses implementation of the third PRiME principle is ranging from individual coaching to learning on the way at all levels of Reutlingen mentoring. University. Asked about the relation of the Didactic Institute and the six principles of PRME the manager of the Institute answers as follows. Major Achievements “Principle 6 of the UN PRME-Initiative states Learning Center that ‘dialogue and debate among educators, students, business, government, consumers, The reconstruction of building 3 has enabled media, civil society organisations and other a series of innovative changes to improve the interested groups and stakeholders on usability of both library and service desk and critical issues related to global social create a multifunctional learning center in the responsibility and sustainability’ need to be middle of the Reutlingen University campus. facilitated and supported. However, before Optimizing the study environment of the different parties can enter into dialogue, Learning Center was the main focus of our constructively discuss current issues and renovation. The Learning Center offers a wide successfully debate approaches to the variety of facilities to support working and challenges of tomorrow, they need to learn studying at the university. Two large reading the dialogical skills which enable them to rooms with study areas, single and group critically think about global society and to study cabins, diverse group rooms and respectfully exchange their ideas. The lounges, computer rooms and a cafeteria. Reutlingen Institute for Didactics aims at This makes the Learning Center a central establishing a teaching and learning culture meeting point for everyone on campus. at Reutlingen University which realises the The central part of the Learning Center is the teaching-learning process in the form of a service desk in the entrance area. Here the dialogue in which both lecturers and learners friendly team is committed to helping you find do not only critically re-think their expert and use the information you need. To knowledge but their expert knowledge in the complete their services, the Learning Center context of a shared social responsibility. Even runs classes for students, researchers and if values of social responsibility and staff on finding, evaluating and organizing sustainability are not yet integrated in all information. module manuals, teaching and learning methods can, in line with Principle 2 of the The German Library Confederation rated the PRME-Initiative, initiate and practice tolerant library in the Learning Center Reutlingen with and respectful dialogue behaviour. Thinking, best grades. In all categories –offers, listening and focusing, giving and taking utilization, efficiency and development- the appreciative feedback are only a few academic library ranges among the best in examples of a dialogue behaviour which the Germany. Reutlingen Institute for Didactics considers the basis of social responsibility. Dialogue creates, after all, a teaching and learning August 2016 14
Principle 3 | Method
atmosphere which allows independent and general knowledge as well as methodical creative thoughts to prosper. If lecturers competences. The combination of the value their students’ opinions, those students individual modules is coherent with the will learn to appreciate diversity and formulated learning and qualification cooperation. Consequently, lecturers at milestones. The design of practical phases Reutlingen University will be invited to have allows to receive ECTS-credit points. Degree their seminar plans and teaching strategies programs integrate opportunities for studying checked in terms of dialogue and the PRME abroad in the curriculum and accept credits principles and they will be invited to attend that are obtained at other universities in seminars on didactic methods which can be accordance with the Lisbon Convention. easily implemented in class to initiate The level of the degree programs implements dialogue and debate. Furthermore, the the university wide concepts of gender Reutlingen Institute for Didactics will focus on equality and of support for students with mediating lecturers and students that disabilities, students with children, migrant learning by heart does not necessarily show a students and students from low-class milieus. heart for society; instead, examination practices need to be developed which do not only test factual knowledge but also scientific, START YOUR STUDIES economical and hence social responsibility. In line with Principle 5 of the PRiME-Initiative, A successful graduation implies a successful the Reutlingen Institute for Didactics will beginning of the studies. That is why hence scrutinise structures which prevent Reutlingen University fundamentally lecturers from implementing didactic rearranged the initial phase for students. methods and examinations which Various course offers, such as mathematics unnecessarily impede the dialogue of the or language courses, student mentors or teaching-learning process.” assistance in doing research in the library and academic writing are expanded to help
students at the beginning of their studies. The Quality Management Ministry of Science Baden-Württemberg funds the project with 900,000 euros for the Reutlingen University has a long tradition in next three years. quality management. Above all, it aims at increasing transparency and accountability of learning and qualification milestones and E-learning concepts for degree programs. The milestones encompass specialist’s In its mission statement, Reutlingen qualifications as well as general ones in the University highlights the need for individual following areas: support and guidance of students. E-learning is a didactic and methodological answer to • academic and artistic skills; meet the increasing demands of flexible and • the capability to find and practice individual learning needs. The university’s qualified jobs; structure and development plan includes the • the competence for social following concrete measures to create up engagement; structures for digital teaching and learning. • and personal development. • Election of a new Vice-President for digitalization and diversity; The concept for degree programs entails the • E-learning support office in the transportation of specialist knowledge, Learning Center;
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Principle 3 | Method
• Online courses in mathematics as Diversity Management preparation courses for all members Reutlingen University further recognizes of the university; diversity on campus as something very • Creation and support of learning positive and sees it as an opportunity for management tools as well as growth. We strive for a university culture that teaching and video platforms; promotes family-friendliness and equal • Production of online lectures called opportunity. The university supports the rights MOOCs (Massive Open Online of all persons to enter, study and advance in Courses) such as in the school of academic programs on the basis of merit, engineering. (This project is co- ability, and potential, regardless of ethnicity, funded by the Ministry of Baden- age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, Württemberg with 25.000 euro.) disability or social background. • Further development of digital Every year, the Equal Opportunity Office support in the curriculum; publishes detailed statistics that reveal the • Advanced training of staff in gender ratio in the student body and among digitalizing teaching. the staff and faculty members. Currently, 44% of the students, 48% of the graduates, 48% of the staff, and 14% of the professors at Green IT Reutlingen University are female. The Green IT is a further long-term project to following table shows the gender distribution reduce the power consumption and the in the five different schools. ecological footprint as well as the operation Although the number of women receiving expenses. Technical instruments to measure doctorates has increased over the past 20 the power consumption are installed and years, female professors still remain student groups document regularly the underrepresented in German universities. consumption. The project seeks to a PUE Reutlingen University is no exception to this. mark under 1,5. In doing so, Reutlingen In order to attract a higher number of female University envisages to apply for the audit job applicants and to increase the likelihood “Blauer Engel” in 2017 at the latest. that women are appointed as professors, several measures were taken that were already listed in our last report.
Table 1: Percentage of Women in each School
FACULTY STUDENTS GRADUATES STAFF PROFESSORS
Applied Chemistry 56% 52% 65% 13%
ESB Business 51% 50% 73% 18% School
Informatics 28% 33% 17% 8%
Engineering 14% 7% 23% 10%
Textiles & Design 81% 88% 52% 14%
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Principle 3 | Method
In addition to the percentage of 48% female activities that already exist, develop new staff, Reutlingen University has many instruments for specific target groups and international faculty members. About 6.000 combine the many aspects of diversity students are enrolled at out university, 20% management at our university into one overall of which are international students from more concept. than 90 countries. After two years work in progress, Reutlingen We believe that recognizing and valuing University received the certificate “Vielfalt diversity leads to improvements for everyone gestalten” as one of five universities in on campus, including: Germany. • a more vibrant student population and staff; Family-friendly University • a better working and learning Reutlingen University has initiated a regional environment; network of all universities in South-West • attracting and retaining the best Germany that committed themselves to students and employees; family-friendliness. A first meeting of three • achieving the goals set in our universities took place in May 2015 at structural and development process; Reutlingen. Representatives from Mannheim, • improving the reputation and esteem Stuttgart and Reutlingen exchanged their of our university. experiences and best practices. Since diversity also comes with a number of The officer of the service department as well challenges and risks (such as potential for as members of the steering committee are miscommunication, conflict or exclusion), we aware that there is still a long way to go. In recognized a couple of years ago that there is addition to the existing projects described in a need for management and policy to our report from 2014, which run all very neutralize the risks and take advantage of the successfully, three new issues have arisen in opportunities. the last years. The overall aim is to make work To get started on implementing a strategic life and private life compatible for students diversity management, the university decided and staff with children. to partake in the Diversity Audit of the Firstly, the service department launched a Stifterverband manual that describes in four chapters all you (http://www.stifterverband.org/english). A need to know about child care services, working committee for diversity issues was family-friendly conditions for studying, established and we took a baseline measure financial assistance and further offers of the of where our university currently stands in university. The manual highlights the most terms of diversity and equality issues. The important information and points to the goal was to enable the university to identify persons to contact. areas of strength and weakness in order to come up with improvement strategies. Based Secondly, the topic „caring for elderly people“ on our analysis, a number of measures will be gained increased importance. Reutlingen taken in the upcoming years. Individual University acknowledges that the assistance and support of students through demographic change also has effects on its mentoring programs, language courses and everyday life. The university offers its staff to tandems or intercultural training courses are participate in a further free training on “job- core aspects of the improvement strategies. care compatibility” which is organized by the We aim to link up the large range of different city of Reutlingen. Furthermore, the officer at
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Principle 3 | Method
the service department was trained in a pilot program for concerned staff members. Kristina Gehrke Finally, the university-wide intranet provides a Student platform for students that are interested in "In autumn 2014 Oikos baby-sitting. Parents that are members of Reutlingen decided to get Reutlingen University may find an individually engaged helping local refugees. suitable child care here. This is a valuable Due to a semester abroad contribution to the child care services at the students know how it is to live in a foreign country with foreign university. language and culture. That's why we started our tandem project, where one or more refugees are PRiME-Related Student Initiatives & Projects meeting with one or more students in order to learn The last part of this chapter highlights languages, to do sports or other students’ initiatives and projects that relate leisure activities." to PRiME principles. Please note again that we include only projects that have not been Diakonie Reutlingen which supports the mentioned in our report 2014. Those projects students professionally. are still active and run successfully. In the Another project that seeks to support following, six projects are described in detail. refugees is the “refugee committee” which is The student initiative oikos organizes a series founded in the winter semester 2015/16. of public talks each semester where experts The university-wide committee serves as and business representatives report on their agency for individuals and organizations in work. In 2016, three representatives from helping to find projects and engaged people “Glimpse humanitarian fashion“ report on for ameliorating the situation of refugees. their mission. The nonprofit organization aims Besides, the committee organizes events to at assisting victims of forced prostitution. draw public attention on its work. Students With pubic talks they seek to inform about the who wish to get involved might join the global problem of forced prostitution and committee, help at events or serve as buddy trade in human beings. They relate the issue that supports refugees who start studying at to aspects of clothing and fashion. Reutlingen University. Particularly students from the school of In May 2016, two students from the school of textiles and design visited the talk and were textiles and design participated at a impressed and sensitized. GLIMPSE Clothing conference on “universities and sustainability GmbH further assists in finding job trainings – saving the world from the ivory tower” in and resocialization programs for the victims. Bonn. The conference was organized by the A second project which is initiated by Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, the members of oikos is a tandem-project to help Verein zur Förderung politischen Handelns refugees. The students’ initiative build up e.V. and the nongovernmental organization tandems of one student and one refugee. The rootAbility. Twelve students from all over tandems are meant to fostering language Germany discussed ways of making the own skills and to sharing free time. In doing so, university more sustainable in a two-days- students of Reutlingen University learn about workshop. Based on an exchange of already the situation and everyday problems of existing sustainability activities at each refugees in Reutlingen and assist in university the students developed the idea of integrating them. They cooperate with the an over-arching students’ network to promote ideas such as zero-emission-campus and
green offices. August 2016 18
Principle 3 | Method
To conclude this chapter, I describe two ethics and sustainability is actively involved in projects that are launched by students of the processes and network meetings for ESB Business School. On the one hand, a structural developments. Whenever possible project team of the ESB Consulting e.V. it contributes ideas or proposes concrete supports a health project in Reutlingen. The activities to further implement the PRiME so called “BIG-Project” trains young women principles. Besides the office, there is an and mothers in health questions and often used contact point for student communicates sports courses for free. In the initiatives that need administrative winter semester 2015/16 the students assistance. Our objective is to stay actively started the “BIGgo-Project” as funds for the involved and to accompany several internal health project run out. The “BIGgo-Project” reform processes at Reutlingen University. describes the setting up of a social cooperative in order to guarantee the future funding of the BIG project by winning the public sector, citizens and companies as cooperative members and sponsors. In return, cooperative members can make use of health promotion and social counselling services. Eight committed consultants from
ESB Consulting e.V. worked on setting up the social cooperative together with the responsible persons of the “BIG-Project”. This includes surveys and based on these data an acquisition plan. In this way, the consultants were able to put into practice the theoretical knowledge they have gained for a nonprofit purpose as well as getting an idea of the exciting process involved in setting up a foundation.
On the other hand, students from ESB
Business School support two nonprofit organizations for many years now. In various fundraising activities students collected 39.000 euro which is an all-time record. In doing so, both Integramus e.V. Reutlingen – an association dealing with discriminated children in Togo and Kenia –and the society to support children suffering from cancer Tübingen received 19.500 euro from the students.
Future Objectives Reutlingen University has a diverse set of programs to foster an inspiring environment that enables effective learning experiences for responsible leadership. The office of August 2016 19
Principle 4 | Research
Principle 4 | Research
We will engage in conceptual and empirical research that advances our understanding about the role, dynamics, and impact of corporations in the creation of sustainable social, environmental and economic value.
Courses of Lectures for Doctorate Fashion Colloquia in Sao Paulo, 2016. Students in Informatics.
Research Campus BioMedTech. Virtual Power Plants.
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Principle 4 | Research
Overview new campus systematically builds bridges between the two branches with regard to Apart from major developments at Reutlingen space and content. In this environment, University, such as new funding for the Reutlingen University intends to convert doctorate program in informatics or the research projects on future medicine into setting up of a new research campus, I products that compete at the global market. summarize in this fourth chapter individual Heading for this aim research teams work research projects and studies that are closely together with business worked on at the different schools and at the representatives at the research campus. Reutlingen Research Institute. We asked all Currently, experts develop innovative schools and institutes to contribute to this coverings for implants. report. Nevertheless, we are convinced that our following list is far from complete and numerous PRiME-related research projects New Center for Interactive Materials are not mentioned here. In March 2015, Reutlingen University opened the doors of the new center for interactive materials. Herewith, the faculty of textiles and Major Achievements design further extends its research activities and integrates them in its teaching programs. New Funding of the Doctorate Program in An important partner in this regard is the Informatics Institute for Textile Technology and Process The ministry of Baden-Württemberg provides Engineering in Denkendorf with whom a scholarship funds for twelve doctorate shared professorship is created. By students at the school of informatics. The cooperating Reutlingen University and the doctorate program “Services Computing” is Institute in Denkendorf profit from its linked to the Herman Hollerith Center. Half of respective competences in the areas of the doctorate students will be settled directly future technologies, mobility, lightweight at the Hollerith Centre in Böblingen. In doing construction, functionality as well as health, so, the center increases its team to 15 security, environment, recycling and comfort. scholars. The other doctorate posts will be In a newly established master’s program placed at the University Stuttgart. “Service “Interdisciplinary Material Science” these Computing” is a cooperative doctorate expertise is combined. program between the universities in
Reutlingen and Stuttgart. Thus, the funding of the ministry has two positive impacts. On the Fashion Colloquia Sao Paulo one hand, it is an important step to Three young scholars of the school of textiles strengthen research at Reutlingen University and design took part at the Fashion Colloquia and its visibility. On the other hand, it fosters 2016 in Sao Paolo, Brasil, and presented the regional research cooperation and their doctorate thesis. Their academic work considers the overall set-up of the Hollerith deals with sustainability in the textile industry. Center as valuable. The Fashion Colloquia is a global conference that serves as forum for current discussions about conflicting aspects in fashion and Research Campus “BioMedTech” economy, environment, society and culture. It The newly established research campus was initiated by the fashion metropolises “BioMedTech” combines medical technic and Milano, Paris, London and New York in 2011. biotechnology in an unprecedented way. The This year, the conference took place in Sao
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Principle 4 | Research
Paolo, the fashion metropolis of Latin America. In participating at such an Prof. Dr. Strähle internationally recognized conference Textiles and Design scholars from Reutlingen University prove their high standard research. “’Sustainability’ becomes more and more a buzzword in the fashion world and industry. Yet, what does consumers know about Studies on Sustainability in the Textile it? And how does aspects of Industry sustainability influence their buying behavior? My research This section highlights two individual studies focuses on these questions.” on aspects of sustainability in the textile industry. The one deals with sustainability and transparency in the fashion business. We only enlisted projects that relate to PRiME The other sheds light on the topic principles. “greenwashing”. Development of ecological gluten and The former was published in 2016. It adhesive systems for industrial textile analyses the impact of QR-codes and applications, based on natural resources sustainability on the individual consumption behavior. It shows that consumers have Within the project, ecological adhesive generally a positive attitude towards systems derived from renewable resources sustainability and wish to support sustainable for non-woven bonding and gluing and companies. Many consumers, however, have finishing of textile fabrics will be developed. only limited knowledge about sustainability in The work focusses on the industrial the fashion business. They prefer products processibility of the adhesives and on the with QR-codes which offer detailed technological performance of the end information. Knowing about the origin, the products. manufacturing and the quality make consumers a positive shopping feeling. This result suggests that transparency delivered Slow Fashion: Design,- technical and by QR-codes influences the consumption economical innovations for sustainable behavior. clothing suppy in the masss market The latter focuses on the issue of By means of practice oriented applied “greenwashing”. The research shows that research, the development and consumers are stronger influenced by the transformation of innovations in the field of brand of a product than the actual sustainable clothing will be supported. sustainability activities of a company. Innovations in design, technology, production and services will be evaluated, regarding the extension of the useful life of apparels as well Projects of the Reutlingen Research Institute as the potential hindrances within the complete textile chain. The last section of this chapter offers insights in the research projects members of Reutlingen University are currently working Evaporator for waste heat recovery on. The enhancement of the energy efficiency of internal combustion engines and thermal treatment processes are the major goal of this project. Today more than 60 % of the
August 2016 22
Principle 4 | Research
chemical energy in the fuel is converted into novel PLA-filaments for 3d printing waste heat. Rankine Cycles can be used to applications. The resulting PLA shall recover some of the thermal energy in for e.g. exclusively contain biodegradable additives. exhaust gases by converting it into Additionally, thermal stability shall be mechanical energy. Generally, the thermal improved, and other disadvantages shall be efficiency of Rankine cycle systems increases eliminated. Simultaneously, the 3d-printing with higher temperatures. Hence to control process shall be redeveloped based on a new fluctuating temperatures up to 650 °C at up nozzle geometry, so as to process the newly to 50 bars system pressure are requirements developed PLA filaments securely and to the system and its apparatuses. achieve optimum printing results. Because of the compactness and high resistancy to pressure load plate type total Socks made of locally grown fibres evaporators are particularly suitable for the usage in a waste heat recovery system Today socks are usually made of cotton. especially at internal combustion engines. Cotton as a raw material has become more and more problematic due to the negative Before bringing this system quickly onto the environmental impact of irrigation and the market some open questions about use of pesticides. Furthermore, the working evaporation under fluctuating conditions conditions for the farm workers is often very need to be answered. The technical poor. An alternative could be to manufacture objectives in this project are to investigate socks out of fibers grown in local areas. and to evaluate different evaporators for Rankine cycles. Modeling and Simulation of Local in this case means fibers growing in the evaporation, together with testing in the lab. mid-European area like Germany and the And to provide the thermo- and fluiddynamic neighbored countries. Flax and hemp are foundations to select applicable designs. This possible fibers. In cottonised condition these results are required steps in the development fibers have very similar properties to cotton. process of an energy efficient Rankine cycle The main disadvantage is that it can be system. rough. This can, however, be compensated by mixing with it lycell.
Development of a thermally stable non-toxic material for 3d-printing applications made Extrudable pellets made out of recycled from renewable resources materials In current state-of-the-art 3d printing, fused By pelletizing of the textile fraction from tire deposition modeling is done with filaments recycling, new and innovative applications in made of petro-based acrylonitrile-butadiene- the field of extrusion and injection moulding styrene (ABS). During the process, they emit will be possible. By optimization of the possibly hazardous gases. Alternatively, process parameters the energy- intensive filaments made of biodegradable polylactide step of coumpounding shall be avoided. (PLA) are used. Unfortunately the latter material contains petrochemical additives due to the fact, that pure PLA-filaments for Virtual Power Plants printing have poor properties according to The long-term economic goal of the thermal stability, as well as further consortium is to achieve a national leading disadvantages like shrinkage, adhesion, position in the field of "virtual power plants" brittle fracture, melt fracture and weld line and their components. The necessary know- stability. This R&D project aims at developing how will be accumulated by initiating the pilot August 2016 23
Principle 4 | Research
project “VK”. The resulting innovative, economically viable and marketable products will alter the energy sector. Aim is the development of a universal control box that can connect power generation and storage facilities together. This will optimize economic feasibility and network stability.
Future Objectives We remain active in communicating best practices in research on aspects of social and environmental responsibility at regional meetings. Besides, we are thinking of highlighting sustainable research projects on the university’s webpage and further enlist relevant bachelor and master thesis. Our own research project on “university social responsibility” implies an online-based collection of related academic papers from various scholars.
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Principle 5 | Partnership
Principle 5 | Partnership We will interact with managers of business corporations to extend our knowledge of their challenges in meeting social and environmental responsibilities and to explore jointly effective approaches to meeting these challenges.
Digital Workshop with Google RAMPF-Sponsoring
www.noee.eu Sustainable Transformation of the Textile Industry in Dietenheim
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Principle 5 | Partnership
Overview Christopher Eh, Mayor Dietenheim Reutlingen University has had close partnerships with businesses for many years. “Our project ‘sustainable Most research projects as well as lectures are transformation of the textile linked to challenges in the real world. One industry in Dietenheim’ with Reutlingen University shows how a core goal of our university is to find academic city and its industry may profit answers to practical problems. from so-called niche products such as sustainable clothes. The In the ranking “U-Multirank” Reutlingen synergy effects for the various University ranges in the category “top partners from public performer” referring to “joint publications administration, business with economy and industry”. In doing so, corporations and universities are fascinating. Reutlingen University is among the best three universities out of 25 top universities world- wide. 17 of these universities come from receive a certificate from google and the Europe and the best three are German. European Industry Association IAB Europe. Furthermore, Reutlingen University receives three best grades in the category Cooperation with the Group of Companies “internationality”. In this regard, it ranges among the best seven German universities. RAMPF The even better grade than last year can be The group of companies RAMPF is an ascribed to the enlarged offering in foreign- internally active specialist for engineering language courses. Finally, the university and chemical solutions. They concentrate on gained two best grades in the category reaction resin and engine systems. RAMPF “regional engagement”. and Reutlingen University signed a The following chapter describes four aspects sponsoring treaty. The cooperation seeks to of the excellent partnership with the business establish an intensive exchange of expert world. knowledge and technology transfer with the school of applied chemistry and the school of engineering. RAMPF offers students various Major Achievements possibilities for gaining practical experiences, such as internships, student trainee Digital Workshop with Google positions, practical oriented thesis or papers. In May 2016, Reutlingen University organized a „Digital-Workshop on Campus“ in Sustainable Transformation of the Textile cooperation with google. During three days Industry in Dietenheim experts from google trained interested students for free. The overall aim of the The project combines two reallife laboratory workshop was to train young people in digital perspectives: Revitalizing the urban areas of skills which are relevant for their future the city of Dietenheim under sustainable careers. The following topics were discussed concerns of the textile value chain. The in detail: online marketing, optimizing search current open sales-space of the city of engines, social media and mobile marketing. Dietenheim will be used to demonstrate the The experts communicated the knowledge in sustainable fashion value chain to a comprehensive way. In addition, students consumers, so they may experience all may attend 23 digital online modules and dimension of the textile production and consumption. This shall be used to change attitudes towards the fashion consumption. August 2016 26
Principle 5 | Partnership
In empirical examples (based on an university that stands for impartial research interdisciplinary approach consisting of and teaching. In the last years some economics, psychology, fashion design etc.) sponsoring treaties raises questions the mechanisms of attitude development and considering the responsible performance of change in attitudes shall be explored. the business partners. The office for ethics and sustainable development proposes to install and Support of Young Entrepreneurs communicate transparently the criteria for Reutlingen University supports students and sponsoring rooms or degree programs at graduates on their way to self-employment. In Reutlingen University. the winter semester there is a university-wide
Business Plan Seminar with experienced entrepreneurs. Further, Reutlingen IHK (Chamber of Industry and Commerce) offers individual advice. In doing so, Reutlingen University is together with the University Heilbronn the best ranked university in Baden-Württemberg in the category “support of young entrepreneurs”. And the support is fruitful. In 2015, 18 students or student groups set up a start-up enterprise. Two of them explicitly or implicitly seek to change the world to the better.
The first business idea is an invention for saving bikes from thefts. Velocate, as it is called, is a digital tracker that is fixed at the light of the bike. As soon as the bike moves the owner receives an alert and may call the police. The founder of the enterprise is a passionate biker that envisages with his invention a durable reduction of the material and ideal loss when a bike is stolen. The second start-up enterprise is Noée. The young fashion designer intends to create real sustainable clothes: the materials, the way of coloring the clothes, the working conditions etc. – everything shall fulfill sustainability criteria. At least one collection of elegant clothes is already realized in this way.
Future Objectives Tight partnerships with business corporations are most often mutually inspiring and fruitful. However, there might also appear dark sides regarding restricting dependencies for a August 2016 27
Principle 6 | Dialogue
Principle 6 | Dialogue We will facilitate and support dialogue and debate among educators, students, business, government, consumers, media, civil society organisations and other interested groups and stakeholders on critical issues related to global social responsibility and su stainability.
Talk at Osiander Reutlingen 2014. Business Forum in cooperation with Weltethos, Tübingen 2014.
Conference for all Sustainability Talk with Herta Däubler-Gmelin 2015. Officers in Baden-Württemberg 2015.
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Principle 6 | Dialogue
Overview Christian Riethmüller Osiander
We further intensified the already well- established dialogue with other universities “The cooperation with Reutlingen University is a highly welcomed and academic institutes, with the churches, opportunity for us to maintaining with political representatives, with schools contact to students and university and with civil society organizations in the last staff. It is a pleasure offering a discussion forum in the city which two years. can be easily reached by all In this chapter we highlight the most townspeople.” important developments and events which
Reutlingen University and the Office for Ethics and Sustainable Development have In this section, I describe two events that organized and are involved in. symbolize the variety of aspects of this dialogue forum.
Firstly, we invited Benedikt Herles, a Major Achievements provocative author, who heavily criticizes the teaching methods at business schools. In Three future objectives we announced in our winter 2014, we organized a talk in a well- report 2014 in chapter 5 and 6 were realized known local book shop, Osiander. Herles in the last two years. Furthermore, the discussed with the Dean of the ESB Business cooperation with schools and civil society School his thesis and the methods that are organizations has been integrated in the used at Reutlingen University. Both agreed institutional framework of our program. that ethical reflections and the teaching of Finally, our office presented its work on social values should become more important university wide events. in future curricula. Business Schools should be the place where value oriented business Studium Generale students are inspired and encouraged on their way. This event was particularly In 2014, we envisaged taking-over the public interesting for students of all faculties. lectures series “Studium Generale”. This has taken place. In cooperation with the The second event took place in 2016 when Theological University, the Christian the former Federal Minister of Justice, Herta Community at the university as well as the Däubler-Gmelin visited Reutlingen and Campus Reutlingen Association we take a discussed the TTIP treaty with an ESB leading role in organizing the lectures. Each professor in macroeconomics. She opposes semester four speakers are invited to shed the treaty in the current version whereas he is light on various challenges and developments in favor for a positive completion in the near of society. The overarching device for the future. The debate was highly controversial series is “Responsibility for our Society”. On and very interesting to follow. The topic the one hand, the lectures series serve as a appealed a large number of people living in forum for professors at Reutlingen to present Reutlingen and the region. their working areas to a broader public. On the other hand, we invite well-known Business Forum in Cooperation with the politicians or authors to discuss with Weltethos Institute Tübingen members of universities in Reutlingen as well as the public. The second project we proposed already in our last report is the idea of inviting
businesses, civil society actors as well as August 2016 29
Principle 6 | Dialogue
academic scholars to exchange experiences Presentations at University Wide Events and perspectives on corporate social To conclude this chapter, I mention the responsibility and social business. The forum Newcomer’s Day, which is organized for newly took place in 2014 and was organized in hired staff, the Open House, which is cooperation with the Weltethos Institute and organized for pupils that are interested in the Ethics and Sustainability Office. Both beginning their studies at Reutlingen partners gave talks that were discussed in University as well as the Welcoming Day for several workshops during the day. A broad fresher. At all university wide events the variety of businesses participated at the Ethics and Sustainability Office contributes by forum and bi-lateral meetings followed this presenting its work and program. event.
Conference of all Sustainability Officers in Future Objectives Baden-Württemberg We are constantly thinking about the most Finally, we announced in our last report to effective way of adverting our courses and host the regional conference of all events for students. We feel that students sustainability officers which takes place twice often not notice traditional ways of a year. In 2015, all sustainability officers announcements, such as flyers, posters or came to Reutlingen University. Our president emails. Therefore, we are thinking of creating welcomed the guests and we got the a facebook account or another social media opportunity to present the work of the ethics platform. and sustainability program as well as two A final objective for the future is a reform of selected research projects on aspects of the refectory and the cafeteria. On the one sustainability. It was a comfortable occasion hand, a lot of students and staff members are to bring together relevant players of our own very discontented that our refectory most universities as well as to build a networking often favors breaded meat and fries in oil. forum with external experts. They wish more attractive vegetarian alternatives. On the other hand, the responsible persons emphasize that at the Cooperation with Schools and Civil Society end of the day people do not decide for the Organizations vegetarian alternative but for the traditional Once a semester we organize a meeting with meat menu. The office of ethics and schools and civil society organizations that sustainability will further work on this issue in are looking for students that get involved in order to initiate shifts in the awareness and volunteer activities. We announce the the food offers. meeting in our course program. Students that decide to work with pupils or in a social organization for a semester may present and discuss their experiences afterwards in our colloquium and receive ethical credits. This institutional framework is highly valuable for the schools and students alike to find easier the respective partners.
August 2016 30