The Sustainability Office of TU Dortmund University and the Business Social Obligation (CSR) Office of FH Dortmund collectively developed the Impact Cup in 2024. “The Impact Cup is even more than a symbolic honor,” states Dr. Henning Moldenhauer, Head of the Sustainability Workplace. “It makes the sustainable commitment of our university’s members visible and shows that ideas and projects continuously emerge from within the university itself. At the same time, the award reinforces the exchange and sense of community amongst our university members and develops area for brand-new partnerships.”
The roving trophies for the award were developed and constructed by apprentices of Technical Product Style at TU Dortmund University: a drifting metal watering can above a little green seedling represents sustainability, which is indicated to grow continually through collective nurturing.
The Award Receivers
Teacher Gerhard Schembecker, Vice President Finance, presented this year’s Effect Cup to Dr. Ute Engelkenmeier of the University Library and Nicole Rechmann of the IT and Library (ITMC). The 2 have been associated with the setting up of the “Seed Library”: considering that 2022, members of TU Dortmund University have been able to take seeds from an exchange box in the library free of charge and return the seeds they later harvest. Through this initiative, the job intends to help protect varietal variety and foster understanding about home veggie cultivation in a low-threshold way. The jury noted that Dr. Engelkenmeier had actually promoted for the exchange box and a dedicated sustainability section in the library even before the principle was established and commonly understood. Rechmann has actually supported the job from the beginning on a voluntary basis by sharing her knowledge and contributing seeds to make sure an environmentally important and growing inventory, especially throughout the set-up stage.
On behalf of FH Dortmund, Chancellor Svenja Stepper presented the Effect Cup to Marie Runge. As Sustainability Officer of the General Trainees’ Committee (AStA) of the university of used sciences, the master’s trainee has actually promoted a variety of projects– for example, a “Fairteiler” food-sharing cabinet to prevent food from being discarded, and the Campus Life Working Group, which links stakeholders from both universities. In addition, Runge supports the CSR research study task “GRUND: KLIMA” as a student research study assistant, working to make the City of Dortmund’s climate funding programs more socially fair. The jury highlighted that her commitment worked as a good example for students showing how they can actively help form their university.
Installation and Panel Discussion on Movement
The award event took place at the close of Sustainability Week, which is collectively organized by the General Student Committees (AStAs) and sustainability workplaces of both universities as well as the Studierendenwerk Dortmund (Association for Student Affairs). This year, the accompanying program was dedicated to the theme of “Movement on the Dortmund Campus.”
University members were welcomed to visit the installation “Haltestelle Zukunft” (Bus Stop of the Future): the student organizers had actually transformed the area next to the bus stop underneath the Mensa Bridge into a car-free social area for 2 days, with seating, creative tasks, and planting boxes. On 25 June, agents of the City of Dortmund were on site to ask university members and school visitors about their long-term wishes for the location and for movement in Dortmund. Following the award ceremony, trainees, scientists, and technical and administrative personnel of both universities likewise took part in a Fish Bowl conversation, in which the audience was invited to contribute concerns and remarks of their own.