Sustainability

Module Description: Sustainability Lecture Series (overall)
This module, consisting of a lecture series and seminar on topics related to ecological, economic, and social sustainability ( 4 SWS, 5 ECTS), offers a systemic approach to the major challenges of sustainable development. It combines an interdisciplinary lecture component (2 SWS) with a seminar-based in-depth component (2 SWS), in which students set their own areas of focus and explore further questions through group work and plenary discussions. The topics cover social, ecological, technical, and economic aspects of sustainable transformation. The module is offered on a rotating basis in Görlitz (summer semester) and Zittau (winter semester). The examination component is a graded paper that provides an in-depth academic analysis of a sustainability topic of the student’s choice from the lecture and seminar components.

Summer Semester (Görlitz): Topic Introductions and In-Depth Study
In the summer semester, the focus is on ecological-technical and socio-spatial aspects of sustainable development. The lecture component provides an introduction to the following topics: municipal energy supply (electricity, heat, transportation), CO₂-negative building materials and the bioeconomy, edible forest gardens as resilient systems, structural change in Lausitz, municipal sustainability strategies, the circular economy and inclusion, technical and natural carbon cycles, and European energy integration. This is supplemented by an introduction to the fundamentals of sustainable development. The seminar component (2 SWS) explores selected topics in depth through interactive formats: Students analyze local and international case studies, develop their own project ideas, simulate municipal decision-making processes, or examine conflicting goals between climate, biodiversity, and social objectives. The goal is to critically reflect on and further develop the topics covered in the lecture and to discuss them in practical contexts. The module examination builds on these in-depth studies and promotes independent academic work.

Winter semester (Zittau): Topic Introductions and In-Depth Analysis
In the winter semester, the Sustainability lecture series at the Zittau campus addresses current issues at the intersection of environmental change, social transformation, and crisis resilience. The lecture component (2 SWS) provides a broad thematic foundation for this: Following an introductory overview of sustainability concepts and their historical development, the course will cover key topics such as biodiversity, the fundamentals of technical environmental protection, the impacts of the bioeconomy on global land-use dynamics, and issues of inclusion and the common good. Particular attention is paid to the challenges posed by structural change, especially in Lausitz, and to the geopolitical upheavals resulting from the energy crisis. The program is supplemented by presentations on blue-green infrastructure in urban areas, which combines ecological and social achievements, as well as a presentation on disaster resilience titled “Nobody can be ready for a cyclone.” The accompanying seminar component (2 SWS) specifically builds on the content of the lectures and serves to deepen analytical understanding. Students critically engage with selected topics, conduct research on specific case studies, and develop their own ideas for sustainable solutions. The focus is on discussions regarding transformation strategies, conflicting goals between climate protection and social justice, and municipal or regional planning approaches. The seminar component thus promotes not only interdisciplinary thinking but also critical judgment and methodological skills. The examination component takes the form of a written paper that addresses a topic of the student’s choice from the lectures and seminar and explores it in an academically sound manner.