Research in our Key Profile Areas addresses a wide range of challenges identified in the UN Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs), e.g. health and well-being, climate protection, peace and justice, innovation and within the framework of research alliances and institution. From new initiatives and alliances with a sustainability perspective, further, mostly transdisciplinary research areas are developing (e.g. in the areas of Sustainable Living as well as Language and Education). In addition, a wide range of individually funded projects that touch upon almost all of the 17 SDGs have been and continue to be supported; a particular focus has developed in SDG3.

New Key Research Area in the Research Theme Sustainable Living

The UoC will continue to strengthen its research areas and promote new sustainability-related research initiatives. The challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss as well as growing socio-economic inequality require approaches that integrate different methods and perspectives. We will therefore use the potential of our disciplinary breadth to initiate further transdisciplinary research. New activities such as Earth System Sciences, Environmental Humanities, Peace Studies and Carbon Capture complement the already broad spectrum of cutting-edge research on various sustainability topics. The goal is to establish a new Key Profile Area in the Research Theme Sustainable Living.

Affirmation of free, knowledge- and curiosity-driven basic research

Existing and new initiatives related to sustainability shall be united under the umbrella of a Center for Sustainable Societies in order to research the complex interrelationships of the transformation of humankind from the path of growth to more stable forms of society, and to transfer these insights to teaching and social development. In addition, we will use already established formats of cooperative collaboration (Forum, Emerging Field) to network existing research across disciplines and to react flexibly to dynamically changing scientific and social challenges, e.g. through topic-related special calls for proposals in existing funding formats.

The UoC remains committed to free, knowledge- and curiosity-driven basic research. Expanding knowledge is indispensable for understanding contexts and finding solutions. With this strategy, we want to create a framework so that findings from our free research can be recognized and developed even more specifically and sensitized to sustainable development in transdisciplinary discourse. Nevertheless, we follow the principle of reflection and responsibility in the research process in order to act in a resource-sensitive manner.