summer school participants standing on a stairs and waving

International Summer School

International Sustainability Summer School successfully concluded

34 students from five different countries (Germany, France, Romania, Switzerland, and Sudan) participated in this year's International Summer School on Sustainability in Brasov, Romania, at the end of July

August 7, 2023

The second version of the journey towards sustainability, jointly organized by Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA), the University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland - OST of Rapperswil, and the Transilvania University of Brasov - UNITBV to take place from July 24 to 28, 2023, was a great success once more. We would like to thank the organizers, speakers, generous donors, and enthusiastic students, who all of them contributed make this event an exceptional experience.

Sustainable solutions

That week, students had the unique opportunity to discuss with leading experts in the fields of sustainable energy technology, environmental engineering, and biodiversity. Particularly fascinating were presentations on sustainable energy systems, wastewater treatment, energy storage, artificial intelligence for agriculture, and green computing. Andreas Reber and Kanchan Bohara from OST-SPF shared their expertise on solar-powered systems, while Andre Podleisek (OST) presented a roadmap towards carbon neutrality. Michael Kauffeld (HKA) spoke about sustainable heating and cooling solutions as developed and tested in the EU SophiA project for African hospitals. Jan Hoinkis (HKA) presented information on the development and construction of the solar-powered SophiA water treatment system, which provides clean drinking water and deionized water to African hospitals. Jonas Schmitt (HKA) presented his ongoing PhD project to improve the efficiency of cold vapor compression refrigeration and heat pump cycles. Mihai Ivanovici from UNITBV introduced the concept of artificial intelligence for agriculture and emphasized the importance of remote sensing in this field. Daniel Voinea (ICEBERG+) presented Smart City Living Labs in Romania and reflected on the opportunities for urban sustainability. Romulus Papuc, Managing Director of Danfoss Romania, explained how Danfoss reconciles environmental, social, and corporate governance. Romulus also showed how the factory at the headquarters in Nordborg, Denmark, became climate neutral in 2022.

Individuals can influence to change things

This year's Sustainability Summer School was not only about sustainability and science, but also about personal growth. William Andersons (Toastmaster Brasov) gave an impressive talk on overcoming the fear of public speaking, and Bianca Stefanescu (AIESEC Brasov) conducted an inspiring workshop on brand management and entrepreneurship. Team building activities bred the spirit of a community with the same goal: Inspiring the new generation to create a better and more sustainable world.

Exciting excursions

The practical aspect was not neglected either: Students had the privilege of visiting the Schaeffler company in Brasov, exploring the laboratories of the UNITBV research center, and experiencing natural wastewater management in the village of Viscri - the first ecological wastewater treatment plant in Romania. A fascinating hiking trip to the 7 Ladder Canyon in Brasov allowed everyone to reconnect with nature and understand how important it is for our journey toward a sustainable future.

Built in 2010, the Viscri wastewater treatment plant is the first ecological treatment plant in Romania. Wastewater from 147 households in the village is collected in three artificial lakes, where it is purified with the help of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and then returned clean to the natural cycle. This solution is particularly efficient from an ecological and economic point of view. The lakes were dug very deep near the village stream; small waterfalls are used to fill and empty the lakes, thereby doing away with the need to install pumps requiring electric power.

Partners and donors

We would like to thank our generous donors: Danfoss | Kälte Eckert GmbH | Secon Kälteanlagen GmbH | Steinbeis Transferzentrum Kälte- und Klimatechnik - ST2K | EU Erasmus+ | Valerius-Füner-Stiftung | Donors' Alliance of Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences. Without them, it would not be possible to offer such a comprehensive one-week Summer School to students without large financial resources.