The Sustainability Workplace of TU Dortmund University and the Business Social Duty (CSR) Office of FH Dortmund jointly established the Effect Cup in 2024. “The Impact Cup is even more than a symbolic honor,” states Dr. Henning Moldenhauer, Head of the Sustainability Workplace. “It makes the sustainable commitment of our university’s members noticeable and demonstrates that ideas and jobs continually emerge from within the university itself. At the same time, the award enhances the exchange and sense of neighborhood among our university members and develops space for brand-new collaborations.”
The roving trophies for the award were designed and built by apprentices of Technical Product Design at TU Dortmund University: a drifting metal watering can above a little green seedling signifies sustainability, which is indicated to grow continuously through collective nurturing.
The Award Receivers
Professor Gerhard Schembecker, Vice President Financing, presented this year’s Impact Cup to Dr. Ute Engelkenmeier of the University Library and Nicole Rechmann of the IT and Library (ITMC). The two have actually been involved in the setting up of the “Seed Library”: because 2022, members of TU Dortmund University have actually had the ability to take seeds from an exchange box in the library complimentary of charge and return the seeds they later harvest. Through this initiative, the job intends to help maintain varietal variety and foster knowledge about home veggie growing in a low-threshold manner. The jury noted that Dr. Engelkenmeier had promoted for the exchange box and a devoted sustainability section in the library even before the principle was developed and widely known. Rechmann has supported the job from the outset on a voluntary basis by sharing her understanding and donating seeds to guarantee an environmentally important and growing inventory, especially during the set-up stage.
On behalf of FH Dortmund, Chancellor Svenja Stepper presented the Effect Cup to Marie Runge. As Sustainability Officer of the General Trainees’ Committee (AStA) of the university of used sciences, the master’s student has actually championed a range of jobs– for example, a “Fairteiler” food-sharing cabinet to prevent food from being discarded, and the School Life Working Group, which connects stakeholders from both universities. In addition, Runge supports the CSR research project “GRUND: KLIMA” as a trainee research assistant, working to make the City of Dortmund’s climate funding programs more socially equitable. The jury highlighted that her commitment functioned as a good example for students showing how they can actively assist shape their university.
Setup and Panel Conversation on Movement
The award event took place at the close of Sustainability Week, which is collectively organized by the General Trainee Committees (AStAs) and sustainability offices of both universities in addition to the Studierendenwerk Dortmund (Association for Trainee Affairs). This year, the accompanying program was dedicated to the theme of “Mobility on the Dortmund School.”
University members were welcomed to go to the installation “Haltestelle Zukunft” (Bus Stop of the Future): the student organizers had actually changed the area beside the bus stop below the Mensa Bridge into a car-free social space for two days, with seating, imaginative projects, and planting boxes. On 25 June, agents of the City of Dortmund were on site to ask university members and campus visitors about their long-lasting long for the area and for mobility in Dortmund. Following the award ceremony, trainees, researchers, and technical and administrative personnel of both universities likewise took part in a Fish Bowl discussion, in which the audience was invited to contribute questions and remarks of their own.