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Panoramic view on the North Campus © Jürgen Huhn​/​TU Dortmund
Education, Sustainability and Diversity

UA Ruhr Establishes Three Research Communities on Key Future Topics

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The University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr) is further expanding its inter-university cooperation in key future fields: With the new Research Communities on Education, Sustainability and Diversity, the three partner universities Ruhr University Bochum (RUB), TU Dortmund University and the University of Duisburg-Essen have established platforms for intensive exchange and strategic development of joint research priorities. The communities are financially supported by MERCUR structural funding.

The aim of the three research communities Education, Sustainability and Diversity of the UA Ruhr is to pool scientific expertise and strategically develop cooperation, expand joint activities, particularly in research, increase international visibility and jointly acquire third-party funding. This is linked to strengthening the promotion of scientists in early career phases.

The Research Community Future of Education—initiated by Professor Nele McElvany (TU Dortmund University), Professor Nikol Rummel (Ruhr University Bochum) and Professor Isabell van Ackeren-Mindl (University of Duisburg-Essen)—brings together 18 founding members from educational science, psychology, didactics, teaching-learning research, and sociology with the aim of systematically networking the diverse competencies of educational research in the UA Ruhr. The focus is on education-related issues in order to better address them in the future in an interdisciplinary manner and across different levels of analysis: from data collection on the micro scale to social frameworks, for example with regard to learning in a digitalized world. A particular focus is on the transfer of scientific findings into educational practice, for example in teacher training.

Photo: Six people are standing side by side in the conference room, smiling at the camera.
The Research Community Future of Education was inaugurated on 17 April at TU Dortmund University.
Photo: The audience is seated in the conference room, looking forward
Members of the three UA Ruhr universities convened at Campus-Treff.
Photo: Three people are sitting at the front of the conference room at the conference table, speaking into microphones
Dr. Peter Salden, Professor Joachim Wirth (both RUB), and Assistant Professor Justine Stang-Rabrig (TU Dortmund University) led a panel discussion.

The Research Community Sustainability was initiated by Professor Andreas Löschel (Ruhr University Bochum), Professor Christian Rehtanz (TU Dortmund University) and Dr. Sebastian Schmuck (University of Duisburg-Essen) and brings together the expertise of currently 19 university lecturers. There are also plans to integrate a new Klaus Töpfer Professorship for Sustainable Development. Sustainability is a central cross-cutting topic at all three universities with numerous research projects and networks, for example in the areas of energy and resource transition, the circular economy, mobility, and sustainable urban and regional development. The community brings together technical and scientific approaches with social science and humanities perspectives and addresses transformation processes towards climate neutrality and resilience as well as issues of governance, acceptance, economic efficiency, and social participation. Sustainability transformation is explicitly conceived in dialog with business, politics, administration, and civil society.

Photo: Nine people are standing in a hallway, smiling at the camera
The inaugural meeting of the Research Community Sustainability was held in April at Ruhr University Bochum.

The Research Community Diversity and Society—initiated by Professor Aladin El-Mafaalani (TU Dortmund University), Professor Isolde Karle (Ruhr University Bochum) and Professor Nicolle Pfaff (University of Duisburg-Essen)—brings together 18 university lecturers from the humanities, social sciences and education to further develop diversity research across locations. The focus is on the analysis of social, cultural and institutional forms of diversity and their significance for participation, recognition and justice in the migration society. The spectrum of research topics ranges from educational equity, migration, inclusion, and religious diversity to the investigation of discrimination, racism, hatred, and social polarization. As a focus of the UA Ruhr that has been established for decades, Gender Studies play a central role . The community builds on existing international networks and also strengthens the anchoring of the topic in teaching with new formats such as the “Diversity and Gender Certificate Program”.