6. TU Ilmenau Sustainability Days | 20.-25.10.

Fair breakfast in the Green Office

The week is starting well! We are kicking things off with a “fair breakfast” and the opening of the Green Office in the entrance area of the cafeteria building at our university!

The Green Office is a collaborative initiative aimed at strengthening sustainability efforts across the university. The Green Office is jointly initiated by the university‘s Sustainability Task Group, the Sustainability Working Group of the STURA, and supported by the STW Thüringen. The Green Office will be an open space to foster collaboration and support sustainability projects in campus.

If you would like to join our fair breakfast, please register until 15^th October 2025 to  nachhaltigkeit@stura.tu-ilmenau.de or nachhaltigkeit@tu-ilmenau.de

Task Group Sustainability, WTF?

The Sustainability Task Group at TU Ilmenau has been active for three years. But what exactly does the Task Group do? What are its goals? What projects is it involved in? How does it contribute to achieving TU Ilmenau's sustainability goals? What has it achieved so far? And how can you contact it?

If you would like to find out, come along, ask your questions, and learn more about the work of the Task Group!

ESD in Teaching: Important – but how?

In the summer semester of 2025, an interdisciplinary teaching project titled "Engineering Meets Communication Science" took place. The project combined two existing courses: the practice-oriented module "Communication for a Better Future" from the English-language Master’s program in Media and Communication Science, and the module "Development Methodology" from the German-language Bachelor’s programs in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Mechatronics, and Industrial Engineering. In this course, students and lecturers from different disciplines worked together in a real-world lab setting to develop practical solutions for greater sustainability on campus. At the lecturers’ roundtable, Prof. Dr. Jens Wolling (Faculty WM) and Prof. Dr. Stephan Husung (Faculty MB) will share their experiences with the joint teaching project – including the challenges and solution approaches in interdisciplinary teaching. (Language: German)

Link to webex room:https://tu-ilmenau.webex.com/tu-ilmenau-en/j.php?MTID=m06110c301529d6e01fe673770bf5e17d

Live Broadcast "Ilmenau Sustainability Corner": "Sustainability communication vs. green washing"

Join us for a live broadcast of the "Ilmenau Sustainability Corner" featuring Prof. Franzisca Weder from Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien at HSF Radio 98,1 MHz. The program will explore the concept of sustainability communication and examine how it differs from greenwashing. Prof. Weder was a journalist and former Chair of the International Environmental Communication Association. She will share her experience researching and teaching sustainability communication in Germany, Austria, and Australia. Her unique insights promise an engaging and thought-provoking perspective on the challenges of communicating sustainability authentically.

Here to stream: www.radio-hsf.de/player

Lecture on sustainability communication with Univ. Prof. Dr. habil. Franzisca Weder, Vienna University of Economics and Business

In a lecture on Sustainability Communication, Prof. Dr. habil. Franzisca Weder — author of numerous scientific articles and editor of important introductions to the topic of sustainability communication — will explain the differences between communication strategies about, of, andfor sustainability. The lecture is part of the seminar “Communication for a Better Future”and is open to the public.

Language: English

Workshop "Digital Cleanup"

Old files, unused apps, duplicate photos, and overflowing inboxes don’t just slow down your devices — they also consume unnecessary energy stored in data centers. A digital cleanup helps you free up space, improve performance, and reduce your digital carbon footprint. Ready to tidy up? Just come and join our workshop.

Night walk "light pollution"

Light pollution refers to the permanent absence of complete darkness in certain areas of the earth and is considered a form of environmental pollution with negative consequences. The lack of natural darkness caused by artificial light sources has a wide range of disruptive effects on insects and plants, as their day-night rhythms are negatively affected. The goal of our night walk is to work together with the Paten der Nachtinitiative and experts on lighting science at TU Ilmenau, to identify locations on campus and in the surrounding areas where light sources can be turned off — without compromising the safety aspect.

Science Forum

Guess lecture fromProf. Martin Morgeneyer, UTC France (SUNRISE alliance)

As part of the Sunrise Alliance initiative, Prof. Martin Morgeneyer, Chair of Process Engineering at Université de Technologie de Compiègne (UTC), France, and Jean Monnet Professor, will present key sustainability activities and strategic goals pursued by UTC. His talk will highlight opportunities for collaborative projects with TU Ilmenau focused on shared sustainability challenges in education and research.

Market of opportunities: Discover and help shape sustainability

Exchange and networking platform for sustainable projects and initiatives at TU Ilmenau for students, teaching staff and external stakeholders - with a second-hand fashion corner, mobile bike repair stand and various information stands

Come along and discover how you can actively contribute to sustainability at TU Ilmenau and become part of our Sustainable Community!

Spring flower bulb festival

Early bloomers are the first important source of food for bees and other insects in early spring. That's why we plant the spring flower bulbs together in the fall. In this way, we not only promote biodiversity on our campus, but can also look forward to the first splashes of color in the coming year.

People of all ages - individuals, groups and families - are invited to experience an unforgettable day together!

Coffee2Meet Sustainability

A sharing session from several students at TU Ilmenau who have participated in sustainability-focused summer schools and short courses across Europe. We’ll also hear from researchers who have received scholarships for their doctoral work related to sustainability. Coffee, tea, and cookies will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there!

FabLab Festival

Exciting projects where you can turn your ideas into reality with milling machines, lasers, a sewing machine and 3D printers - you can discover all this and more at the FabLab Festival. Our university's FabLab was created on the initiative of the Ilmkubator start-up service, the Central Institute for Education and the university library. Under the motto "How to make (almost) anything", students and employees of the university can realize their ideas here with the help of state-of-the-art production techniques.

Repair meeting

Repair Instead of Throwing Away!

Members of the organization Engineers Without Borders (Ingenieure ohne Grenzen e.V.) help anyone interested in repairing broken electronic devices and offer support with questions related to using smartphones and computers. Tools and materials will be provided.

Oriana X - Dance through time: belly dance musical & live choir

To mark its tenth anniversary, Oriana, the Oriental dance group from the University Sports Center, is teaming up with the singers from DaChor to put on a show event in the spirit of sustainability for the region's natural environment.

Together, they create a performance of dance and live singing that takes the audience on a journey through the biggest questions of our time: How can we humans live in harmony with nature? How can we find a new balance in times of climate change? The performers approach these questions artistically and take the audience on a magical journey of (self-)reflection in a dance between destruction and recreation.

Admission to this event is free. Donations are being collected for a planting project to enhance biodiversity on the campus of the TU Ilmenau.