2020s - Today for Tomorrow

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2020 2021 2022

Successes 2023

Prof. Dr. René Matzdorf will be re-elected as Vice President for Studies and Teaching in January 2023.
The University of Kassel joins forces with 13 other North Hessian stakeholders to establish North Hesse as a model region for sustainable energy systems. The alliance's joint position paper will be presented in Kassel on February 20, 2023 and calls for decisive support from the future state government, including strengthening education, investing in technology parks, promoting hydrogen as an important energy source and creating real-world laboratories to implement innovations in the field of energy systems.
On March 15, 2023, the Board of Directors of the new Kassel Institute for Sustainability will be officially appointed, thus concluding the founding phase of the Center for Sustainability Research and Teaching.
The University of Kassel is given more autonomy in building matters from 2023. An initial five-year contract with the HMWK will allow the independent planning and implementation of construction projects with an estimated cost of up to 10 million euros.
The Hessian State Domain will celebrate its 25th anniversary as an experimental estate of the University of Kassel in 2023. The domain, which is leased by the university, is managed according to organic farming guidelines, functions as a "transparent farm" and is integrated into university research and teaching.
Following the terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, the University of Kassel takes a clear stance and expresses its condolences to the victims and their families. In the context of the Middle East conflict, on November 8, 2023, the university management and Senate display two banners on the central campus that visibly appeal for compliance with certain standards in the university's internal discussions.
With UNI:Lokal, the University of Kassel is opening an open event and exhibition space in the middle of Kassel's city center for five years. It serves as a link to the urban community and as a location for the regional sustainability laboratory SDG+ Lab. This will be presented to the public with a program-rich opening festival from November 15, 2023.
A new research project from the Department of Ecological Plant Nutrition (Prof. Dr. Judy Simon) at the University of Kassel receives funding from the state of Hesse as part of the LOEWE Exploration program line as an excellence project. It investigates the nutritional system of trees. The LOEWE center emergenCITY, in which the University of Kassel is involved, will also continue to receive funding and will receive around five million euros in project funds for 2024.

With the Russian leadership's attack on Ukraine comes energy and gas shortages that do not stop at university operations. In addition to the legal requirements to save energy, the university is proactive and is implementing comprehensive measures to save energy and push sustainability even further.

In April, Kassel University returns from digital teaching, necessitated by the Corona pandemic, to face-to-face teaching. Students are welcomed to campus with a number of events.
On July 6, 2022, the Green Office opens as the central contact, organization, networking and coordination point for sustainability development at the University of Kassel.
September 14, 2022 marks the launch of the Kassel Institute for Sustainability, a unique center for sustainability research and teaching at the University of Kassel.
The University of Kassel receives its first LOEWE top professorship. It goes to law scholar Prof. Dr. Andreas Fischer-Lescano, who was appointed to the professorship "Just Transitions" at the Department of Human Sciences on October 1. Fischer-Lescano will also be the first member of the board of directors of the new "Kassel Institute for Sustainability," with which the university is strengthening its profile area of "Sustainable Transformations. The LOEWE research funding program of the state of Hesse is providing 1.6 million euros over a period of five years to endow the professorship.
The University of Kassel is using donated funds to support students who have fled Ukraine in the current summer semester and the upcoming winter semester. Almost 110,000 euros have been collected in the "Ukraine Relief Fund." The money will be used to finance, among other things, adapted language courses, semester fees, individual start-up assistance and a buddy program for social integration.
During the documenta summer, the University of Kassel presented the "Knowledge Store" in the Königsgalerie and at many other locations in Kassel - an interactive exhibition with 100 ideas from science for a more sustainable future. A successful project - more than 1700 visitors attended the show.
The new exhibition hall of the Kunsthochschule is inaugurated. With the ceremonial inauguration on May 6, the semi-autonomous Kunsthochschule Kassel gains even more independence.
The renowned CHE ranking shows the bachelor's degree program in civil engineering to be one of the best in Germany. Other subjects also score above average. The ranking consistently rates the University of Kassel's support for first-year students as very good.

The Corona pandemic forces a sudden switch to distance and hybrid teaching, as it does everywhere in Germany and Europe; mobile work is ordered. The 50th anniversary celebrations are postponed until the second half of the year.

The Hessian Higher Education Pact, together with some funding programs, enables the planning of 40 to 50 additional professorships.... Some of the professorships will go into a teaching and research center on sustainable transformations that is unique in Germany, the establishment of which will be decided by the Senate. The university will be able to create a total of more than 200 new positions thanks to the more reliable funding basis of the Higher Education Pact, the 300-professorship program of the state government and other programs.
A research group is established at the University of Kassel to study competition in the higher education system.
The CampusKassel2030 research project is launched. The university plans to take additional steps toward climate neutrality over the next ten years with various measures.
IT security expert Prof. Dr. Claudia Eckert is elected as the new Chair of the University Council. She thus replaces Prof. Dr. Wilfred Müller, who will remain a member of the board for the next two years.
Sociologist Prof. Dr. Heinz Bude becomes founding director of the documenta Institute. His first tasks include the concretization of the programmatic content as well as the development of the internal and external organizational structures.
Prof. Dr. René Matzdorf is re-elected Vice President for Studies and Teaching.
Several construction measures are completed: The second building section of the University Library at the Holländischer Platz campus is opened and the south tower of the Murhard Library is put back into operation after three years of renovation and reconstruction. Construction work on the three-field gymnasium (task hall) is also completed. Construction of a new exhibition hall starts at the Kunsthochschule.

Educational scientist Prof. Dr. Ute Clement takes office as president. Elected in January, she replaces Prof. Dr. Reiner Finkeldeay, who did not stand for re-election, in October. Further changes in the presidium: Prof. Dr. Sonja Buckel is elected as new vice president and Prof. Dr. Michael Wachendorf as new vice president. Vice President Prof. Dr. René Matzdorf remains in office and Dr. Oliver Fromm is reappointed as Chancellor.

The German Research Foundation (DFG) is establishing the first research training group on elementary school research at the University of Kassel in cooperation with Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. It is also funding a research training group in Kassel called "multiscale clocks," which will focus on biological clocks.
The new scientific sustainability center will be called the Kassel Institute for Sustainability. It will comprise up to 17 new professorships and initiate new courses of study. It is the only center of its kind in Germany.
The Corona pandemic continues: For the winter semester, the University of Kassel is switching from distance learning to the concept of "face-to-face semesters with restrictions," and there are vaccination campaigns on campus. Standard study periods are extended and additional examination attempts are offered.
The project "University of Kassel digital: redesigning university teaching", is funded with 2.9 million by the foundation "Innovation in University Teaching". Through the foundation, the federal and state governments support classroom and online teaching projects.
With the appointment of literature and cultural studies expert Prof. Dr. Liliana Gómez, art historian Prof. Dr. Felix Vogel and media studies expert Prof. Dr. Mi You, the University of Kassel is continuing to develop the documenta Institute.
The Kunsthochschule library reopens after nine months of renovation.

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