Educa­tion4Change - Driving Forces for Sustainable Higher Education, Winter Semester 26/27

Future-oriented higher education means more than just imparting knowledge: it empowers students to think critically, think strategically, act proactively, and solve complex problems in an increasingly dynamic world shaped by global crises. This is precisely where Higher Education for Sustainable Development (HESD) comes in—a teaching and learning concept that combines knowledge, values, and problem-solving skills to promote sustainable and responsible action.

• How can key competencies such as critical or forward-thinking be developed in a targeted manner within the framework of college courses?

• What pedagogical approaches are suitable for sustainably strengthening students’ ability to apply what they’ve learned and solve problems?

• And to what extent can methods of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) help to effectively embed these competencies in higher education?

We address these questions, among others, in our online exchange forum, which is open to Saxon faculty members from various universities and departments. In regular virtual meetings, we explore current topics, challenges, and examples of best practices in the context of ESD at Saxon universities. Each session begins with a roughly 30-minute expert presentation by faculty members or experts who share their practical experiences. This is followed by an open discussion lasting approximately 15 minutes or longer, providing an opportunity for questions, exchange, and professional networking.

Topics range from didactic approaches and transformative learning formats to institutional integration and concrete teaching ideas. This format brings together people from different disciplines and provides them with new perspectives and concrete suggestions for sustainably integrating ESD into their teaching.

We’ll meet on various dates throughout the semester from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. in a permanently accessible Zoom room: https://tu-dresden.zoom-x.de/j/65151865540?pwd=KqAs8VByF1AY5hV61BHHqVKQUvQKdB.1

Dates will be announced and added on an ongoing basis throughout the semester. We would like to cordially invite you to the following sessions:

Schedule / Dates (6 AE)

• October 15, 2026, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.: No One Starts from Scratch—Identifying Connections to Education for Sustainable Development in Your Own Teaching, Building on What Already Exists

Facilitators: Dr. Antje Goller (Chair of Food and Home Economics, TU Dresden)

• October 29, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Reflecting on Sustainability – Addressing the “wickedness” of ESD using multimodal vignettes

Presenters: Prof. Dr. Nicole Raschke & Pauline Hennig (Chair of Geographic Education, TU Dresden)

• November 24, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: SustAInability – An Interdisciplinary & Inter-University Teaching Format for Integrating Sustainability and AI

Presenter: Charlotte Böhm (Senior Advisor for Sustainability and AI, Community Management/sustAInability, Munich University of Applied Sciences)

• December 8, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: SustAInING. Using AI Thoughtfully and Designing It Sustainably – Presentation of a Seminar Concept from Mechanical Engineering

Presenters: Dr. phil. Sandra Buchmüller & Dr.-Ing. habil. Adrian Ehrenhofer (Chair of Thermodynamics & Chair of Mechanics of Multifunctional Structures, TU Dresden)

• January 19, 2027, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Inner Development Goals in Higher Education – A Practical Example from the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences

Keynote Speaker: Christian Einsiedel (Sustainability Management, Strategic University Development, and Digitalization, Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences)

• February 16, 2027, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Learning, Shaping, Changing: Implementing Genuine Participation in Higher Education Teaching with the “Students-as-Drivers” Approach

Presenter: Maike Krohn (CampusConnectEd Project, Center for Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching at TU Dresden)

You can have your participation credited toward the “AKTive Lehre” program (Exchange category). One AE can be credited for each session.