University of Kassel exceeds sustainability targets

The report, which is published every three years, is an important instrument on the path to a sustainable university. In it, the university management documents relevant measures, reviews its sustainability goals in research, teaching and operations and sets new targets for the coming years. According to the recently published report, the university exceeded its own target figures in the years 2014 to 2016, in some cases significantly.

For example, the number of students on environment-related courses grew from around 8,100 (winter semester 2013/14) to around 10,800 (winter semester 2016/17; the target was 9,000). The targeted volume of third-party funding for environmental research grew from just under 14 million euros (2013) to just under 15 million euros (2016).

From 2013 to 2016, the university's electricity consumption fell by 6 percent in terms of area and 7 percent in terms of the number of people (the target was 5 percent in each case). CO2 emissions per capita fell from 0.454 tons (2013) to 0.379 tons (2016) (target was 0.45 tons). One factor in this was the energy-efficient construction of new buildings. Residual waste per capita and year fell from 14.3 kilograms to 11.8 kg (target was 12 kg) thanks to a new waste management concept.

"With this report, the University of Kassel is committed to sustainability in research, teaching and operations. As a university, we are jointly pursuing the goal of developing our university in an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable manner in the long term," says University President Prof. Dr. Reiner Finkeldey. "The University of Kassel is demonstrating that it is visibly and measurably living up to its responsibility for a future worth living." Organizational innovations have also been decisive for the success of recent years: "As a Germany-wide pilot university, the University of Kassel has implemented the concept of 'intracting'," reports Chancellor Dr. Oliver Fromm. This involves investing savings from energy-saving measures in new measures. "For example, we are renewing lighting or circulation pumps as part of this. We have also converted a large part of the university's vehicle fleet to hybrid and electric cars," Fromm continues.

In addition to successes in ecological sustainability, the report also points to progress in social sustainability: as an open university, the university takes measures to compensate for social differences in the individual basis for university studies. As an inclusive university, it has improved the accessibility of pathways and buildings as well as documents and information technology. As a family-friendly university, it has increased childcare places and extended childcare hours. As an intercultural university, it has significantly expanded its support and assistance for foreign students and refugees in particular. It has also improved the proportion of women among junior academics and professors.

The University of Kassel also has ambitious plans for the next three years: these include further intensifying environmental research, further reducing energy consumption for electricity and heat and increasing the amount of self-generated green electricity through new photovoltaic systems. Improvements for students and employees who cycle to university are also planned.
 

Contact:

Sebastian Mense
University of Kassel
Communications, Press and Public Relations
Phone: +49 561 804-1961
Email: presse[at]uni-kassel[dot]de
www.uni-kassel.de