oikos Witten/Herdecke

Students at the St. Gallen University founded oikos in 1987, to integrate sustainability and protection of the environment into economics and law studies. 30 oikos groups were founded in 19 different countries over the years. Witten/Herdecke joined in 2005.

Sustainabiliy and sustainable management have become buzzwords. They are known to a wider public, which is a good thing, but on the other hand repeated and abstract use makes them appear less stringent and mere clichés. The Witten/Herdecke oikos chapter wants to give new meaning to the idea via practical examples. “We want to sensitize students of economics  and business management to sustainability issues,” says Eike Haas, one of 5 executive board members of oikos International and also chairman of oikos W/H  until December 2010. “We want to demonstate how sustainable management works, and recruit followers.”

One of the main attractions in this context is the Winter School, organized in Witten for the fourth time in a row in 2010. Each November students from all over the world  meet in Witten for a week of project work, discussions, lectures and workshops on social and economic issues where they give individual input and enjoy intercultural exchange. The main focus from ecological, economic or social perspectives is always on sustainability. One important element is project work; participants reach beyond conceptual definitions to explore a novel perspective where sustainability is not just an add-on but the common denominator. Eike Haas: “The Winter School is an important event for oikos. The fact that it has become an almost permanent event in Witten is a great honour for the chapter Witten/Herdecke.”

Witten, he believes, is a perfect location for oikos. “Sustainable management still has no broad appeal, despite much ritualistic lip service. In business management in particular, the focus often is exclusively on monetary value. 

Things look different at UW/H, since we are in the vanguard in many respects. Moreover, you meet lots of people here whose interests go beyond their chosen discipline, who seek contacts with other cultures. So oikos and Witten suit each other very well.”

Other initiatives supported by our oikos chapter are the Sustainable Innovator Speaker Series, where proponents of ecologically and socially responsible management are invited to explorate on personal motivation and activities, or cinema evenings with subsequent discussion. A relatively new project is the oikos Bachelor Thesis Award “My Bachelor Makes Sense”. oikos honours Bachelor theses in economics and social sciences on sustainability issues. Authors of Bachelor theses who give answers on how to integrate business success, social commitment and protection of the environment receive prize money, or invitations to the annual Utopia conference or one of the international oikos congresses. Eike Haas believes it is most important to raise students’ awareness of sustainability issues at an early time: “Global warming, financial crisis, social tensions – apocalyptic scenarios and reasons enough to sensitize young academics to sustainability, which is of existential importance to our world.”

The local chapter sets much store by international networking for the oikos organization. “This cooperation facilitates exploration of many topics. We enjoy valuable support and benefit from renowned individuals. The international perspective also serves to recruit new members.” Which is never a bad idea, particularly since the chapter W/H saw a recent period of transition when most of the founder generation left the university upon graduation. Eike Haas: “The new team members have adapted to their tasks. The first thing was membership consolidation; now we can focus on new visions and start major projects with publicity effect.”

There are two international meetings per year where students from all oikos groups (local chapters) meet for workshops and exchange. There are additional smaller meetings to promote members’ expertise, personal growth and general networking. 

The principles oikos stands for are:

• suggestions for innovative solutions in sustainable development
  
  
• focus on comprehensive and interdisciplinary integration of ecological, economic and social issues
  
  
• inspiration for students to explore the chances and potentials involved in sustainable development.  
  
  

more:
wittenherdecke.oikos-international.org
www.oikos-international.org