Following the meeting of WTUN members for the 8th Annual WTUN Congress, Chair and Vice Chancellor of the University of Bradford, UK, Shirley Congdon reflects:

“This year’s congress allowed the WTUN members to share their solutions to the fundamental challenge of the modern world; Sustainability. Sustainability as it relates to research, innovation, education, technologies, university campuses and their operations and how entrepreneurship can offer more rapid and impactful ways of enabling a fair and just transition to net zero. WTUN members are united and committed to ensuring the next generations view sustainability with the broad landscape of equality, diversity and inclusion to act so that no groups are left behind on the sustainability journey.”

On behalf of the World Technology Universities Network, we extend our thanks to all involved at this year’s hosts, TU Ilmenau, for their efforts in ensuring the three-day event was a success.

From the hosts, TU Ilmenau:

TU Ilmenau discussed sustainable future with technical universities from all over the world

At the invitation of TU Ilmenau, technical universities from all over the world discussed sustainable futures in Erfurt — ©Chris Liebold

At the invitation of the Technical University ofIlmenau, technical universities from all over the world discussed the topic “Sustainable Future: Global Trends and the Role and Responsibility of Technical Universities” for three days at the annual conference of the World Technologies Universities Network (WTUN), an international association of technical universities, in Erfurt. The conference theme coincides with TU Ilmenau’s theme year “Sustainability”. The keynote address was given by the renowned Potsdam climate impact researcher Prof. Stefan Rahmstorf.

From October 9 to 11, 50 participants from Europe, Asia, Africa and South America met at the World Technologies Universities Conference to explore global trends for sustainable development and discuss the role and responsibility of universities in addressing the complex issues of our time. What is the role of technical universities in the shift toward greater sustainability? What are the particular challenges they face? What innovations are helping to educate tomorrow’s scientists, engineers, and citizens? How does the focus on sustainability influence innovation and entrepreneurship?

Prof. Jens Müller, organiser of the World Technologies Universities Network conference — ©Michael Reichel

Participants at the conference presented best practices from their institutions: best practices and successful examples of incorporating social responsibility, sustainable entrepreneurship and a culture of global citizenship into their communities. The conference organizer, Prof. Jens Müller, Vice President for International Relations and Transfer at TU Ilmenau, was extremely pleased with the way the three days of discussions went: “The conference presentations and the lively discussions showed that we face very comparable challenges regardless of country and continent of origin and that we can learn from each other on many points.”

The keynote speaker at the conference was Prof. Stefan Rahmstorf of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. In his English-language presentation, “The Climate Crisis in the Public Debate of Science, Opponents and Populists,” he argued that science must not give up on rejecting misrepresentations and communicating data-based findings on climate change and its drivers. For example, he showed how selective omission of temperature data derives false findings that downplay the importance of man-made influence.

The World Technology Universities Network aims to empower future generations to meet the challenges of the 21st century through cutting-edge research with direct benefits for people and society. The universities conduct joint research projects, maintain regular exchanges with each other and strive to promote society’s understanding of the tasks, work and research fields of technical universities worldwide.