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Sustainability Interview Series

From reducing energy consumption, to developing a biodiversity strategy, to creating new funding possibilities for climate protection, Freie Universität Berlin has been busy these last twenty-five years establishing measures to ensure that the university contributes to a sustainable future. The Sustainability Report, published in August 2026, gives an overview of the university’s current activities in this area, as well as the proposed plan for the next three years. But what does sustainability look like in everyday university life? And who is driving it forward? In a series of interviews, members of Freie Universität talk about what sustainability means to them, where they are taking action themselves, and what they would like to change.

Urban Mining as the Key to Sustainable Resource Use

A ton of smartphones contains more gold than a ton of gold ore, says Timm John, a professor of mineralogy and petrology at Freie Universität Berlin

Oct 06, 2026

Stronger through International Networking

European university alliances show that internationalization and sustainability can go hand in hand, says Herbert Grieshop

Sep 30, 2026

Education for the Future: Civic Education, ESD, and Social Change

In conversation with Luisa Girnus, junior professor of Political Education, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), and Transformative Education

Sep 25, 2026

The Financial Side of Sustainability

Professor Barbara Fritz of the Institute for Latin American Studies, Marlon Krippendorf and Marla Schiefeling, doctoral candidates at the EQUALFIN doctoral program, in conversation

Sep 22, 2026

Sustainability and Ethics in Research

There is no single governance structure that works best for embedding sustainability at universities. Still, some factors do seem to make a difference. Inka Bormann in conversation.

Sep 14, 2026

Building Visibility, Strengthening Trust

Communicating sustainability at a complex institution – an interview with Karin Bauer-Leppin, director of the Office of Communication and Marketing

Sep 07, 2026

The History of a Learning-Based Educational Format

Schools@University for Sustainability + Climate Protection celebrates twenty years – an interview with its founder and project manager, Karola Braun-Wanke

Aug 31, 2026

Climate Protection Under Pressure

Challenges of the Sustainability Transition: Interview with Dirk Messner, president of the German Environment Agency

Aug 19, 2026