Organizational structure

Organizational structure:

• Core group of KU participants (professors, research associates, other KU researchers)
• Interested parties from within the University (permeable to the core group)
• External discourse and cooperation partners (Federation of German Scientists (VDW), University of Passau, others)
• Advisory board consisting of external experts

Coordinating bodies and contact persons: 

• Board of spokespersons: Prof. Dr. Bernd Cyffka, Prof. Dr. Christian Steiner
• Coordinator: Christian Meier

Networks, partners, collaborations:

In order to initiate and expand the laboratory's research, it will devote a significant amount of time to networking activities.

Internally:
Within the KU, research on sustainability and sustainable development has been extensive for decades across different faculties. An overview of past research accomplishments is available here: https://www.ku.de/unileben/nachhaltige-ku/handlungsfelder/handlungsfeld-forschung/aktuelle-forschungsprojekte

Research projects on sustainability are currently being conducted in geography, psychology, economics, social work, religious education, sociology and journalism, among others.

There are already established collaborations with these researchers and scientists (please see https://www.ku.de/unileben/nachhaltige-ku/handlungsfelder/handlungsfeld-forschung/akteure) in form of conferences or lectures. The SRL intends to expand and strengthen its collaborations and develop them further also beyond this group and also incorporate inter- and transdisciplinary research projects.

Externally:
In the sustainability research activities mentioned above, KU researchers usually also cooperate(d) with external partners from various fields. The aim is to strengthen and deepen these relationships, especially with national and international sustainability research institutions so that the quality of the internal networks can be enhanced further.

We can also build on sustainability research collaborations with a particularly integrating approach, an integral sustainability research: The KU.SRL has been organizing research talks on "Integral Ecology/Enlightenment 2.0" together with the Pontifical Gregorian University since October 2020. The University of Passau and the Federation of German Scientists (VDW) are two of the lab’s collaboration partners. The activities are supported by the Honorary President of the Club of Rome, Prof. Dr. Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker, as well as the Laudato Si Research Institute at Campion Hall, University of Oxford and COMECE (Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union in Brussels). These activities will culminate in a joint conference at the Gregorian University in Rome, which will also serve the purpose of initiating long-term research collaborations between the participating institutions and initiatives. In the run-up to the conference, the KU had already explored possibilities of joint integral research for sustainable development with the University of Passau and the Federation of German Scientists (VDW) and established an initial structure.

The KU's other national, regional and local contacts in the relevant networks will be activated and consolidated in the direction outlined above.