Sustainability Office

The Sustainability Office has been operating as part of a pilot project since July 2021, serving as an operational complement to the Sustainability Steering Committee. Its goal is to promote a sustainable Otto-Friedrich University and to analyze, connect, and publicize existing activities.

The primary focus is to provide support, particularly in organizational and administrative tasks, to various university stakeholders, such as the working groups of the Sustainability Steering Committee and student groups. This facilitates the networking of sustainable actors, groups, and initiatives within the university.

Accompanying projects and measures in teaching, research, administration, and public relations aim to strengthen awareness of sustainability both within and outside the university.

Responsibilities

The Sustainability Office is the central point of contact for sustainability at Otto-Friedrich University.

Its tasks include:

  • Informing about all sustainability activities and networking stakeholders.
  • Connecting various sustainability initiatives from researchers, faculties and administration, as well as university groups, with the aim of providing support.
  • Assisting in the EMAS certification of the university, organizing the Sustainability Month, and obtaining Fairtrade certification.

Participation Opportunities for University Members

Do you feel like getting involved and contributing your ideas? There are the following possibilities:

  • Participation in one of the working groups of the steering committee.
  • Initiation of decentralized projects in your area (department/faculty/department, etc.) - the Sustainability Office is happy to provide support and advice here.
  • Involvement in one of the university-affiliated groups/committees of the student representation.
  • What ideas do you have for improving sustainability? Feel free to write to nachhaltigkeitsbuero(at)uni-bamberg.de.
  • Are there already projects in your area? Please inform us so that as many people as possible can participate."

Current employees of the Sustainability Office

Our interdisciplinary team consists of an administrative staff member and students from various academic programs.

  • Dr. Carolin Brix-Asala (Coordinator of the Sustainability Office/EMAS)
  • Johanna Vogler (Bachelor's student in Political Science)
  • Klara Friedel (Bachelor's student in Philosophy, Political Science, and Business Administration)
  • Theresa Riedel (Master's student in Geography)

Background

In the summer of 2020, a group of students at the Otto-Friedrich-University Bamberg delved into the topic of sustainability. Together with Dr. Yelva Larsen (Didactics of Natural Sciences), they developed a concept for a Green Office, which was subsequently presented to the Sustainability Steering Group. With the support of this group, especially from Dr. Dagmar Steuer-Flieser, the Chancellor of the University of Bamberg, and Dr. Carolin Brix-Asala, the Sustainability Office was established at the university based on this concept, opening its doors on July 1, 2021.

The Student Parliament's Green Office Working Group won the Sustainability Award in the category of Studies and Teaching for their dedication during the founding phase of the Sustainability Office at the University of Bamberg.