Digital Sustainability Transformation of, by, and for the TUM
Project description
The issues of sustainability and digitization are among the central challenges of our time. Both transformations need to be actively designed, whereby sustainability and digitization do not have to be considered side by side, but rather together in the sense of "digitainability". The concept "digitainability" as a fusion of the terms "digitization" and "sustainability" emphasizes possible positive reinforcement effects of digitization and sustainability, which have so far been often neglected (Bonn Alliance for Sustainability Research/Innovation Campus Bonn 2020; Gupta et al. 2020; Lichtenthaler 2021). It describes the ability to combine positive aspects of digitization and sustainable development and thus advance both digitization and sustainable development. At the same time, however, the central challenges and possible negative effects with regard to ecological, economic and social issues must also be kept in mind.
Universities like the TUM play a central role in the design of digital and sustainable transformation processes as learning environments concerning the education for sustainable / digital development, as incubators for innovations in the field of sustainability and digitization, and as role models for local economic, social, ecological and technological developments. Over two semesters, we will discuss the two megatrends sustainability and digitization and uncover potentials for action for TUM, the city of Munich and beyond.
The project is funded by the TUM ideas competition for “study-related reinforcement of the excellence strategy”.
If you have any questions or are interested in cooperation, we would be very happy if you contact us via the email: digitainabilityTUM@hfp.tum.de.
Project team
Lea Buchholz, Linda Rüthers, Markus B. Siewert & Stefan Wurster
Under the motto “Digital Sustainability Transformation of, by, and for the TUM”, the project is helping to bring sustainability to life as a leitmotif in the TUM's development agenda. For this purpose, an interdisciplinary module will take place in the summer term 2021 and winter term 2021/2022, which consists of a virtual lecture and a hybrid seminar and is open to master's students from all TUM faculties and schools. The aim of the lecture is to work with TUM internal and external experts to think about and discuss the latest scientific findings and trends around the topics of sustainability and digitization at universities. The project-based or service-learning-oriented seminar is intended to give students the opportunity to actively participate in shaping the digitainability of the TUM.
There are three closely related objectives:
- to promote the discussion of topics of sustainable development in interaction with the digital transformation at TUM;
- to support the anchoring of sustainability topics at TUM;
- to strengthen the position of TUM as a driving force and central multiplier of topics with a view to sustainable digitization or sustainability through digitization.
The project is based at the TUM School of Governance and started in January 2021. The hybrid event consists of a lecture series and a project seminar, which will take place in the summer semester 2021 and winter semester 2021/22. A total of 12 ECTS (6 ECTS each in the summer and winter term) can be acquired in the elective area of various faculties. At this link to the module description.
In the lecture series, outstanding experts from science and practice give input on various topics at the interface between sustainability and digitization in the sense of digitainability. Lectures and roundtables form the basis of the lecture and should invite discussion and exchange; In addition, participatory formats such as workshops are offered to creatively think about innovative ideas and pursue new approaches. In addition, we would like to offer the numerous projects and initiatives of the TUM that are involved in sustainability and digitization a space to present themselves.
In the seminar, students can implement their ideas for a more sustainable, digital TUM in the form of concrete projects. There is a wide range of topics to choose from: For example, individual elements in the TUM sustainability assessment can be addressed and specific solutions can be worked on at the various TUM locations. Or projects for digital sustainability transformation based on the idea of service learning are implemented together with partners from business and society. Our team actively supports the students in the planning and implementation of their projects, whereby the seminar not only offers plenty of space for initiative and creativity, but also for mutual exchange and peer-to-peer feedback. And who knows, maybe one or the other sustainable project will emerge?
The project ends with a virtual student conference at which the results of the projects are presented to the interested public inside and outside the TUM.