Green classroom: a symbolic start!

On Tuesday, April 9, 2024, Minister President Michael Kretschmer and the members of the Saxon State Government met for an off-site cabinet meeting at the Zittau campus of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. The first part of the meeting focused on the Görlitz district, with District Administrator Dr. Stephan Meyer, Mayor Thomas Zenker, and Rector Prof. Dr. Alexander Kratzsch invited as guests.

Prime Minister Kretschmer opened the meeting with words of appreciation:

Following this, Mayor Zenker and Rector Prof. Dr. Kratzsch addressed the cabinet members with welcoming remarks. During the meeting, there was an in-depth discussion on topics including structural change and the planned teacher education program at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences in cooperation with the University of Leipzig. Key future issues and projects for our region were also highlighted. For example, Prof. Dr. Kratzsch provided the cabinet with insights into the initiatives “Zukunftslernort Oberlausitz (ZukLOS)” and “Green Zitty,” which make significant contributions to the region’s sustainable development. These topics are closely linked to the planned introduction of the Civil Engineering degree program.

Another significant milestone on this day was the tree-planting ceremony on the Zittau campus. This event served as the symbolic kickoff for the “Green Classroom” project for the Upper Lusatia Learning Center of the Future. Participants in the planting ceremony included Minister President Michael Kretschmer, Minister of State Sebastian Gemkow, Johann Scheffel as a representative of the Student Council, Thomas Krusekopf as a representative of the General Association of Entrepreneurs of Zittau and Surrounding Areas, and Rector Prof. Dr. Alexander Kratzsch. The planting underscores the commitment of the city and the university to environmental education and sustainable campus design.

Project Manager and Vice President for Education and International Affairs Prof. Dr. Sophia Keil enthusiastically summarized the event on her Instagram channel:

The Student Council at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences also spoke positively about the project:

The construction of the “Green Classroom” as part of the strategic project “Zukunftslernort Oberlausitz ” (Upper Lusatia: A Learning Place for the Future) is part of the plan to further develop Zittau as a “Green City.” On the initiative of the General Association of Entrepreneurs of Zittau and Surrounding Areas (Allgemeiner Unternehmerverband Zittau und Umgebung e.V.), the city of Zittau is seeking to submit an application to host the State Garden Show from 2030 to 2035 under the project title “Green Zitty.” To this end, a cooperation agreement has already been signed between the City of Zittau and Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences.

The entrepreneurs’ breakfast, which took place prior to the cabinet meeting at the Co-Creation Lab Celsiuz at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, also provided a valuable opportunity to foster dialogue between state policymakers, local businesses, and the university. Among other things, the importance of reinstating the Civil Engineering program at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences for the region was discussed. Another topic was how to make the advantages of living, doing business, and studying in our region even better visible and communicated.

Overall, this special and extraordinary day at our university provided ample opportunity for inspiration and motivation to further develop our university and region—in keeping with the spirit of our participatory “University for Future” university development process. Or, as Rector Prof. Dr. Kratzsch put it: “The HSZG is a university from the region, for the region!”