Chronology
Milestones of Sustainability Management at Freie Universität Berlin
Overview Milestones
2026
September:
- (planned) Completion of the second three-year EMAS validation cycle, including validation of the 2026 Environmental Statement.
August:
- Publication of the Sustainability Report 2026: "25 Years of Sustainability" – with new impetus for climate protection. Published for the first time as an accessible online report.
- Sustainability & Energy Unit, together with the Margherita von Brentano Center, receives Diversity Fund support for the pilot project "Transformation in Context: teaching modules for holistic perspectives on ecology, social justice, and societal change."
- 20th anniversary of the Sustainability + Climate Protection University for school students.
June:
- Opening of the Thielallee cycle path and further measures under the FUturRad funding project to improve cycling infrastructure on the Dahlem Campus.
January:
- Launch of Freie Universität Berlin's new internal Climate Protection Fund (Presidential Board resolution): CO₂ pricing of campus operations, paper consumption, and business travel at €30/tonne to support climate-friendly and biodiversity-promoting measures.
- Introduction of new sustainability targets and principles for business travel as a binding part of the new travel policy – goal: 20% emissions reduction compared to the 2018/19 baseline.
2025
December:
- Finalist for the German Sustainability Award (DNP) 2025 in the "Schools and Universities" category (award ceremony 4–5 Dec 2025 in Düsseldorf; nomination/announcement already on 22 Oct 2025).
- The 4th FUturist round (2024/2025) concludes; 24 teams supported in total since the format began. At the same time, the selection process for the 5th FUturist call begins (1 Dec 2025–23 Jan 2026, new jury).
October:
- Publication of the 2025 Environmental Statement.
September:
- Successful EMAS revalidation (17–19 Sept 2025).
August:
- The Sustainability & Climate Protection Advisory Board issues a recommendation letter to the Presidential Board in favor of establishing the planned Climate Protection Fund, despite a difficult budget situation.
June:
- FUturist Midterm Event (19 June): Project teams of the 4th round present their interim results.
May:
- University-wide mobility survey: 3,272 university members (approx. 7.3%) took part.
January:
- The FUturist jury selects five projects from nine applications for the 4th round (2024/2025).
