Public lecture series
Lecture series invites you to discuss visions and a future worth living in
Change doesn't happen on its own - the ninth edition of the lecture series Climate Crisis and Sustainability looks at visions for the future // Photo Colourbox
How do we want to live? What changes are needed? Where can we start to ensure that life on our planet remains worth living for everyone? The lectures in the current lecture series "Climate crisis and sustainability" take a look into the future - and don't use a crystal ball, but rather factual knowledge from research.
Mobility expert, bestselling author and podcaster Katja Diehl will kick things off. Throughout her career, Diehl has worked on the possibilities of a fair and sustainable change in mobility - in particular on changing attitudes and behaviour. Her focus: establishing meaningful solutions together with people. Mobility is a matter close to her heart - as evidenced by her lecture "Out of the mobile dead end - into the livable mobility of tomorrow", which will also kick off the lecture series on 28 October 2025 at the Pina Bausch Centre in Wuppertal.
Shaping the future together
The subsequent lectures will address other key sustainability issues and illustrate that science can provide important and very concrete solutions to the current transformation challenges. After the short keynote speeches, participants will have the opportunity to engage in dialogue with the speakers and discuss examples of how we can shape the future together, what is needed to live safely on our planet and what a city without waste could look like. The aim of the lecture series is to jointly scrutinise the issues of justice and participation and the role they play in solving global sustainability problems and initiating processes of change towards a sustainable society. The lectures thus go beyond the mere transfer of knowledge and are intended to inspire participants to integrate their own perspectives into the discussions.
The series is explicitly aimed at students who can have the lecture series recognised for their studies, but all interested parties are also invited. Participation is free of charge and registration is not required. The lectures start at 6 pm on Tuesdays, with the exception of the opening event, which starts at 7 pm.
Overview of dates
- 28 October 2025 - future Pina Bausch Centre, 7 p.m.
"Raus aus der mobilen Sackgasse - rein in die l(i)ebenswerte Mobilität von morgen" with Katja Diehl (mobility expert) - Bundesallee 260, 42103 Wuppertal - 4 November 2025 - Lecture hall 2 (Grifflenberg campus of the BUW), 6 p.m.
"Protection in the crisis: disaster prevention and climate impact adaptation for a resilient future" with Constanze Schmidt (Wuppertal Institute) and Dr Sylvia Bach (University of Wuppertal) - Building BZ, Gaußstraße 20, 42119 Wuppertal - 18 November 2025 - future Pina Bausch Centre, 6 pm (additional date! Click here to register)
Science Slam SUSTAINABILITY Vol. 2 - With short presentations of ten minutes each, six young researchers will inspire their audience with exciting facts and theses - Bundesallee 260, 42103 Wuppertal - 2 December 2025 - Lecture hall 2 (Grifflenberg campus of the BUW), 6 p.m.
"Structural change in the Rhenish mining area - future prospects at the demolition edge" with Paula Susanne Straube, Eva Bößert and Rebecca Knauer (Public Interest Design at the University of Wuppertal) and Christoph Zeiss (Wuppertal Institute) - Building BZ, Gaußstraße 20, 42119 Wuppertal - 16 December 2025 - Lecture hall 2 (Grifflenberg campus of the BUW), 6 p.m.
"City without waste? Strategies and structures for zero waste" with Dr Katharina Simon (University of Wuppertal) and Marina Fecke (Wuppertal Institute) - Building BZ, Gaußstraße 20, 42119 Wuppertal - 13 January 2026 - Lecture hall 2 (Grifflenberg campus of the BUW), 6 pm
"Nachhaltig. Digital. Fair? Possibilities, necessities and hurdles of socio-ecological transformation" with Prof Dr Stephan Ramesohl (Wuppertal Institute & University of Wuppertal) and Dr Joris Steg (University of Wuppertal) - Building BZ, Gaußstraße 20, 42119 Wuppertal - 27 January 2026 - Aula of the Wuppertal Institute, 6 pm
Book launch: "Prosperity in times of transition" with Prof. Dr Christa Liedtke (Wuppertal Institute & University of Wuppertal) and Dr Jola Welfens (formerly of the Wuppertal Institute) - Döppersberg 19, 42103 Wuppertal
Note for students of the BUW
Students who have taken the module "BIL305 Education and Training" in the teaching degree and the module "OPB307 Transformation and Sustainability" in the combinatorial Bachelor's degree can have the lecture series credited. If you have any questions about credit transfer, please email transzent[at]uni-wuppertal.de.
Further information
Lecture series: Climate and sustainability
https://transzent.uni-wuppertal.de/de/lehre/ringvorlesung-klimakrise-nachhaltigkeit/
Poster for the lecture series "Climate Crisis and Sustainability" Vol. 9
https://wupperinst.org/fileadmin/redaktion/images_hq/press/2025_Plakat-Ringvorlesung_WS25-26.pdf
Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy gGmbH
The Wuppertal Institute is an implementation-orientated research institute with roots in North Rhine-Westphalia and a global horizon. Together with its stakeholders, the researchers shape transformation processes with the vision of creating a sustainable world for all. To this end, they develop science-based solutions for ecological, social and economic challenges: from concrete measures for cities and companies, the state, federal government and EU to impulses for international climate negotiations. The employees always have the big picture in mind and combine future knowledge from various research fields and subject areas.
Website: wupperinst.org
Students for Future Wuppertal
Students for Future is a working group of Fridays for Future that has set itself the task of bringing the topic of climate justice and sustainability to universities. In this way, the students want to ensure that universities fulfil their social responsibility: Universities are part of the solution for a social transformation towards an ecological and just future. Students for Future also want to promote this vision at the University of Wuppertal and are committed to the consistent, institutional implementation of sustainability at the BUW. To this end, they initiate cooperation projects with Fridays For Future Wuppertal and various initiatives at the BUW and in the city.
Website: https://studentsforfuture.info/ortsgruppe/wuppertal/
Student union of the University of Wuppertal
The Student Union (AStA) is the executive body and political representation of all students at the University of Wuppertal. It is elected by the student parliament (StuPa) for one year and deals with student concerns vis-à-vis the university management and the state government. It also regularly organises various events.
Website: https://www.asta-wuppertal.de/
Centre for Transformation Research and Sustainability (transzent)
The transzent is a competence centre at the University of Wuppertal, which was founded in 2013 in cooperation with the Wuppertal Institute. It builds a bridge from the university to practice by creating experimental spaces for socio-ecological transformation processes through transdisciplinary research. Its aim is to develop and test transformation solutions that enable a life characterised by social justice, democracy and sustainable prosperity for all within planetary boundaries. In addition to research and knowledge transfer, the insights gained are also incorporated into university teaching in order to sensitise and empower students for the challenges of sustainability transformation.
Website: transzent.uni-wuppertal.de
