Workshops
Tuesday, March 24 2026 – Thursday, March 26 2026 at InformatiKOM 1 & 2, Adenauerring 12, 76131 Karlsruhe (Buildings 50.19 & 50.28)
These are the available workshops for a less extensive version of the project week in English. You can still earn between 2-4 credits (LP) for participating. If you have sufficient German skills to actively take part in a seminar in German you may look at the German version of this website. In this case you will be able to choose between a wider variety of workshops and excursions (in English and German)
Registration for the Spring Academy (link to follow)
In order to complete the Spring Academy Sustainability and receive credit points, you must register for three different workshops and two different excursions.
On 24 March 2026, all participants will attend a foundations workshop to prepare them for the intensive study of complex issues in the focus area. These workshops will explore different scientific perspectives on the debate surrounding sustainable development. Fundamental theories and working methods from various areas of research and action will be presented. The workshops are intended to sharpen participants' argumentation skills, encourage them to reflect on their prejudices and provide them with experience of dealing with complex information. The key questions are:
- How can reliable scientific knowledge be generated?
- How do social expectations and demands influence scientific research?
- How is scientific knowledge adopted, discussed and utilised by society?
Foundations Workshop: Tuesday, 24 March 2026, 8:45 am - 12:45 pm
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Title: | Sustainable Digital Platform Business Model Innovation: From Idea to Market-Ready |
| Lecturers: | Patrick Brecht | |
| Institution: | Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) | |
| Description: |
The workshop provides a practice-oriented introduction to sustainable business model development. Using patterns of digital platform models, participants explore what innovation means and how ideas become viable, market-ready offerings. With methods such as the SPDS – Smart Platform Design Sprint and SPEC – Smart Platform Experiment Cycle, participants identify and apply platform business model patterns. The workshop combines theory and practice and offers a structured entry into sustainable digital platform business model innovation.
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| Workshop Days: | Tuesday, 24 March 2026, 8:45 am - 12:45 pm |
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Title: | Engineers – saviours or culprits? |
| Lecturers: | Prof. Dr. Kai Furmans, Prof. Dr. Payam Dehdari | |
| Institution: | Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), Hochschule für Technik Stuttgart | |
| Description: |
The rising CO2 concentration caused by industrialization and increasing living standards presents complex challenges for engineers. Technological progress alone is often not enough to reduce CO2 emissions and ensure sustainable development. In our workshop we examine how engineers can contribute to solving global issues such as energy supply and climate protection while critically questioning whether they are part of the solution - or part of the problem. It reflects on the responsibility of engineering disciplines and discusses why existing technical solutions have not always been successfully implemented. |
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| Workshop Days: | Tuesday, 24 March 2026, 8:45 am - 12:45 pm |
Registration for the Spring Academy (link to follow)
In order to complete the Spring Academy Sustainability and receive credit points, you must register for three different workshops and two different excursions.
All participants will attend two thematic workshops during the event, one on Wednesday and one on Thursday, each lasting 3.5 hours.
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Education Politics
Political decisions influence all areas of our education system. From education in kindergartens, school and university to further education opportunities in later working life. What types of school are there and which key points are decisive for educational pathways? How can socially disadvantaged children, young people and adults be supported in order to maintain educational opportunities? |
Education System
How has our current education system developed historically and how can it be reformed? An observation of the German education system includes the question of necessary structural changes and a look at school types and reforms in other countries. What can our education system learn from international comparisons? And what are the limits of these comparisons? |
Access to Education
Access to education and educational success is still strongly impacted by social status and one's own background. This is not only evident with regard to the type of school attended and a possible subsequent degree or doctorate. The subject studied, opportunities for qualified part-time jobs or the likelihood of founding a company are also affected. Educational opportunities are not only dependent on socio-economic background, but also on - sometimes correlating – factors like migration or gender. But where exactly are the sources of social inequality? And how can they be counteracted? |
Teaching, Learning and Digitalisation
Digitalisation is also playing an increasingly important role in education - be it in institutionalised school education or through more digital public educational resources. Does increasing digitalisation and the use of AI in education promote equal opportunities? Additionally, we take a look at the practical applications of digital resources to promote inclusion and (individual) knowledge transfer. |
Thematic Workshop 1: Wednesday, 25 March 2026, 8:45 am - 12:45 pm
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Title: | Circular Economy Rebound Effects: How resource efficiency can fuel consumption |
| Lecturers: | Dr. Stefanie Klose | |
| Institution: | Universität Freiburg | |
| Description: |
This interactive workshop introduces participants to rebound effects in the Circular Economy. Circular Economy Rebound Effects occur when efforts to save resources unintentionally lead to higher overall consumption. We will start by exploring common resource efficiency strategies and their intended benefits, then examine why these improvements do not automatically reduce environmental impacts. By the end of the session, participants will:
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| Category: | Ökonomie | |
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Title: | Circular Economy: From Ideas to Action |
| Lecturers: | Carolina Rovira Schmidt | |
| Institution: | Universität Basel | |
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| Category: | Ökonomie | |
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Title: | Justice Aspects of a Circular Economy |
| Lecturers: | Burcu Gözet | |
| Institution: | Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt Energie gGmbH | |
| Description: |
In this workshop, participants will critically engage with the transformation towards a circular economy. The session centers on how questions of justice are currently addressed in the circular economy debate and explores why equity is vital to this transition. It fosters an understanding of the Just Transition concept and includes case studies of global supply chains, enabling students to develop their own approach towards a just circular economy. |
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| Category: | Politik & Gesellschaft | |
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Registration for the Spring Academy (link to follow)
In order to complete the Spring Academy Sustainability and receive credit points, you must register for three different workshops and two different excursions.
All participants will attend two thematic workshops during the event, one on Wednesday and one on Thursday, each lasting 3.5 hours.
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|
|
|
Education Politics
Political decisions influence all areas of our education system. From education in kindergartens, school and university to further education opportunities in later working life. What types of school are there and which key points are decisive for educational pathways? How can socially disadvantaged children, young people and adults be supported in order to maintain educational opportunities? |
Education System
How has our current education system developed historically and how can it be reformed? An observation of the German education system includes the question of necessary structural changes and a look at school types and reforms in other countries. What can our education system learn from international comparisons? And what are the limits of these comparisons? |
Access to Education
Access to education and educational success is still strongly impacted by social status and one's own background. This is not only evident with regard to the type of school attended and a possible subsequent degree or doctorate. The subject studied, opportunities for qualified part-time jobs or the likelihood of founding a company are also affected. Educational opportunities are not only dependent on socio-economic background, but also on - sometimes correlating – factors like migration or gender. But where exactly are the sources of social inequality? And how can they be counteracted? |
Teaching, Learning and Digitalisation
Digitalisation is also playing an increasingly important role in education - be it in institutionalised school education or through more digital public educational resources. Does increasing digitalisation and the use of AI in education promote equal opportunities? Additionally, we take a look at the practical applications of digital resources to promote inclusion and (individual) knowledge transfer. |
Thematic Workshop 2: Thursday, 26 March 2026, 8:45 am - 12:45 pm
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Title: | Circular Economy Rebound Effects: How resource efficiency can fuel consumption |
| Lecturers: | Dr. Stefanie Klose | |
| Institution: | Universität Freiburg | |
| Description: |
This interactive workshop introduces participants to rebound effects in the Circular Economy. Circular Economy Rebound Effects occur when efforts to save resources unintentionally lead to higher overall consumption. We will start by exploring common resource efficiency strategies and their intended benefits, then examine why these improvements do not automatically reduce environmental impacts. By the end of the session, participants will:
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| Category: | Ökonomie | |
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Title: | Resource Efficient Circular Economy Systems in Mechanical Engineering |
| Lecturers: | Prof. Dr. mont. Christoph Kirchlechner & Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Volker Schulze | |
| Institution: | Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) | |
| Description: | The workshop deals with the holistic approach of Resource Efficient Circular Economy Systems and their applications in Mechanical Engineering. After introducing the full approach, the elements in the field of products and preserving the added value by applying r-strategies like remanufacturing and estimation of remaining useful life will be treated. After this, challenges in recycling of metallic and polymer materials will be treated. Finally, aspects of environmental interactions and life cycle assessment will be treated allowing for full understanding of the approach of Resource Efficient Circular Economy Systems. | |
| Category: | Technologie | |
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