Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) | March 23–26, 2026
The Spring Academy Sustainability at KIT 2026 will focus on the concept of circular economy from March 23-26, 2026.
The project week is organized by General Studies. Forum Science and Society (FORUM) in cooperation with the interdisciplinary Collaborative Research Center 1574 "Circular Factory for the Perpetual Product" at KIT. In addition, the Spring Academy is an anniversary event celebrating 10 years of EGTC Eucor.
Through a public keynote, a thematic exhibition, a wide range of workshops and excursions, and a final panel discussion, participants will explore the various dimensions of circular economy and sustainability. The program offers opportunities to engage critically with key debates and to actively examine the challenges and potentials of circular practices.
The circular economy promises to conserve resources: things should last longer, produce less waste, and require fewer new raw materials. For this to work, products must be designed so that they are easy to repair, parts are interchangeable, and they can be used for a long time. In addition, new ways of sharing things are needed—for example, through sharing services or subscriptions. We also need more places where people can return, repair, or refurbish items.
In reality, however, this is not so easy. Often there is a lack of incentives, the processes are complicated, or we are simply used to different routines. Sometimes the opposite of what is desired happens: when car sharing is very convenient, some people suddenly drive more than before.
At the Spring Academy 2026, we will look at how new technology, economic ideas, political rules, and our everyday lives are connected when it comes to the circular economy—and where the problems lie. Together, we want to find out which current approaches are promising, where they fail, and where conflicts of interest arise. We are particularly interested in how the circular economy can be made suitable for everyday use without overwhelming people.
The Spring Academy is aimed at all students interested in sustainable development and offers the opportunity to establish links between science, technology, and society, as well as to gain new perspectives on their own field of study.
Active participation in all elements, including workshops and group discussions, and the submission of a short final report or project can be credited with 2–4 ECTS.
Please note: The Spring Academy Sustainability will take place in person at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and other venues in Karlsruhe, Germany.
The opening keynote and closing panel will be held in German, while workshops and excursions are available in English. Final reports and projects may also be submitted in English.
Further information on the thematic focus
To make the relevant framework conditions and factors of a sustainable circular economy tangible, the Spring Academy examines the topic from three key perspectives. These perspectives help us to systematically explore the complex interrelationships and facilitate interdisciplinary discussions on:
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Technology
Technological development plays a central role in the implementation of circular economy concepts, from recycling processes and modular product design to repairability and digital systems for tracking product-specific data. But how can new technologies help to keep products and resources in circulation for longer? Which technical solutions facilitate reuse, repair and recycling in practice? Where are the limits of technological solutions? What negative effects can technological progress have on a circular economy? |
Economy
The circular economy requires us to rethink existing economic and business models. Rather than focusing purely on sales, services such as sharing and subscription models are becoming more important. How are value chains changing as take-back, repair and reconditioning structures become more important? How can economic success be measured differently when key performance indicators are no longer based on unit sales, but on service life, utilisation and reparability? |
Politics & Society
The implementation of a circular economy is also a political and social challenge. Necessary solutions often fail due to a lack of incentives, inadequate legal frameworks and existing infrastructures, or entrenched habits. What role do political decision-makers and civil society initiatives play in overcoming these hurdles? What barriers arise from rebound effects, where efficiency gains lead to even higher consumption? How do global inequalities and power relations affect the feasibility of the circular economy, and who bears responsibility when seemingly circular processes—such as electronics recycling—are shifted to countries in the Global South at the expense of social and environmental standards? |
Kick-off & Registration
Participation in all Spring Academy programme items is required in order to receive credit points. Attendance at the keynote on Mon., March 23, as well as at the panel discussion on Thu., March 26, must be registered at the information desk in the InformatiKOM.
The Spring Academy Sustainability will officially begin with a kick-off event at the InformatiKOM on Monday, 23 March. Please arrive by 5 p.m. at the latest to register for the keynote speech in the InformatiKOM atrium. Registration opens at 4:30 p.m.
At 5:15 p.m., you will receive important information about the project week schedule and will have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.
When: Monday, March 23, 5:00–5:45 p.m.
Where: InformatiKOM, Building 50.19, KIT Campus South, Adenauerring 12
