The current discussion about the strategic orientation of energy supply in view of the Ukraine war exemplifies how closely issues of sustainability and economics are linked. In general, climate change, globalization, demographic change and technical progress are transforming economic life. Against this backdrop, WFI’s new bachelor's degree program "Sustainability in Business and Economics" will combine both business and social science skills starting in the upcoming winter semester. Graduates will be able to help shape future social, ecological and economic solutions - in companies, the public sector or non-governmental organizations.
"The focus of our study program is on a multidisciplinary consideration of all economic actors as well as their interdependencies. The basis is the idea that a sustainable reorganization of the economy can be achieved through ethical economic action, innovation, regulation, solving incentive problems as well as through growth. The course is based on a concept of sustainability that combines environmental protection, social balance and economic growth," explains program director Prof. Dr. Alexander Danzer. He holds the Chair of Microeconomics at the KU and studies topics such as food consumption from the shelf to the plate, the long-term economic consequences of catastrophes such as the Chernobyl reactor accident, and issues in the economics of education.
The diversity of these topics exemplifies the interdisciplinary approach of the other lecturers in the program. They will teach approaches and methods ranging from business administration and economics, political science and psychology to ethics and economic and social geography.
Based on a broad education of analytical-methodical and linguistic-communicative competences, students are enabled to analyze interrelationships of economic sustainability in an evidence-based manner and to develop responsible options for action for various actors; they thus acquire excellent prerequisites for starting a career in companies, mini- steries, associations, environmental organizations and international organizations as well as for an in-depth scientific examination in relevant advanced study programs.
For entrepreneur and scientist Professor Reinhard Büchl, the study program comes at the right time: "The inevitable transformation to sustainability is one of the biggest challenges for companies in the coming years. Small and medium-sized companies in particular, which generally do not have their own sustainability departments, often lack the know-how to develop the economically, ecologically and socially sustainable solutions of the future. Against this background, there will be a great demand for graduates who, in addition to their basic economic knowledge, bring methodological and content-related skills to support companies on their way to sustainability." Büchl worked as an entrepreneur in the waste management industry for over 45 years and founded the Ingolstadt Institute for Applied Sustainability (inas) - an affiliated institute of KU - in 2017.