From September 9 to 13, the International Sustainability Summer School 2024 took place in Karlsruhe under the direction of Prof. Dr. Michael Kauffeld and Dr. Mihaela Dudita Kauffeld. We are proud to have welcomed 36 students from all over the world: Participants from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, France, Germany, Greece, Malaysia, Mexico, Romania, South Korea, Switzerland, Turkey, Uganda and Vietnam.
During the summer school, the students had the opportunity to explore and engage with the topic of sustainability from diverse perspectives. The program featured a series of lectures delivered by experts from industry, the city of Karlsruhe, and local institutions. Students, doctoral candidates and lecturers from HKA and the partner universities also contributed to the program.
On top of the lectures, the internationals were able to take part in inspiring excursions to regional companies and institutions, explore the city of Karlsruhe and actively work on sustainability topics themselves in group work.
The first day focused on the topic of global sustainability. In this context, Robert Szilinski (esentri AG and Chairman of the Association of Founders at the HKA) explained why sustainability is not possible without digitalization. Further presentations were given by Henrik Nordborg and André Podleisek from the HKA partner university OST – Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences.
Tuesday featured additional engaging presentations and workshops. After lunch in the KIT canteen, the participants visited the refrigeration system on site. The rest of the afternoon consisted of assignments in the laboratory for refrigeration technology and heat pumps at HKA. In the evening, the students explored Karlsruhe and visited the BREEZE cooling station of HKA and the “Schlosslichtspiele”, a yearly light show at the castle of Karlsruhe.
Wednesday began with lectures and workshops. The group then visited the battery laboratory and the roller dynamometer at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences. The afternoon included an excursion to the company Vulcan. Together with Thorsten Hauck, the group first visited the geothermal power plant in Insheim, followed by a tour in Landau, where they observed how lithium is extracted from geothermal water. The next stop was a visit to Daimler in Wörth, where HKA doctoral student Josy Laier gave an insight into e-mobility at Daimler Trucks.
The last two days allowed the students to learn about the element water (visit to the Federal Institute for Hydraulic Engineering - BAW, led by Michael Gebhardt and Elke Petersson) and to experience the topic of global climate change interactively: As part of an excursion to the Klima Arena in Sinsheim and the “Climate Fresk” workshop led by Prof. Dr. Olivier Schecker, the students learned about the complex connections of global climate change.
A successful and eventful week came to an end on Friday. The participants celebrated their last evening together at “Badisch Brauhaus”. The evening was accompanied by live music from the band “Unikat”.
Many thanks to all lecturers, excursion and workshop leaders, organizers and especially our guests of the Sustainability Summer School and last but not least to the generous donors Güntner, Ipetronik, Obrist Engineering, Refolution, Rivacold, THE SCHAUFLER FOUNDATION, VDE Publishing, Valerius Füner Foundation, “Verbund der Stifter” Foundation at HKA, and Wirtschaftsförderung Karlsruhe.
Feedback from the participants
“I am not good at goodbyes. But thanks a lot for this amazing experience and for the wonderful lectures and the fun. I am really very happy that I was part of that, and I will never forget this week. Thanks for Prof. Michael Kauffeld and Dr. Mihaela Dudita Kauffeld and all the organizers, and hope to meet next year. Goodbye everyone!”
“Hi everyone, Loga here. I had an amazing time at the summer school, and I'm so grateful for all the memories we created together! Goodbyes are tough, but this is just the start of many great things. Wishing you all success, and let's keep in touch! Tschüss!”