Positive interim results of the cooperation between Witten/Herdecke University and the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy
Steering committee sees successful development and great potential for the future
The first steering committee of the cooperation between Witten/Herdecke University (UW/H) and the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy has given a positive interim assessment of the cooperation agreement that has been in place since August 2024. At their first meeting, the participants recognised the progress already made and defined ambitious goals for the coming years.
Successful start in four thematic areas
The areas of climate (adaptation) and health, urban transformation, teaching and sustainable finance have developed particularly dynamically. The Humboldtⁿ Summer School "Planetary Health in NRW" in September 2024 marked a successful start. This was followed by joint workshops on salutogenic urban systems and the socio-ecological transformation of companies. Two joint funding applications have already been submitted ("Healthy Planet"/BMFTR and "Financing Industrial Transformation"/Mercator Foundation) and another ("Planetary Health in Neighbourhoods") is in preparation.
In the area of teaching, several joint courses are planned for the 2026 summer semester, including the "Wuppertal Research Seminar", in which students will work on current sustainability issues under the guidance of researchers from the Wuppertal Institute.
New focus areas for 2026
The steering committee identified three subject areas with development potential: extra-occupational qualifications, sustainable nutrition and sustainability and art. These areas are to be specifically expanded in the coming year.
Promoting young talent as a strategic goal
A central concern of the cooperation is the promotion of the next generation of scholars. The partners are endeavouring to initiate the first doctoral studies by Wuppertal Institute employees at the UW/H in the coming year. This emphasises the aim of not limiting the cooperation to project-related collaborations, but to enable long-term scientific career paths.
Outlook
The five-year cooperation agreement with an automatic option to extend for a further three years provides a stable framework for joint work on pressing sustainability issues. The steering committee, initially chaired by Dr Anne Caplan, will continue to consistently pursue and intensify the paths taken. The combination of health, social and economic science expertise at the UW/H with the Wuppertal Institute's transformation research is proving to be fruitful and forward-looking.
The next steering committee will meet in 2026 to evaluate further developments and provide new impetus.