International students experience sustainability and resilience in Bochum!

International students experience sustainability and resilience in Bochum!

In August and September 2025, nine students from the Ruhr University Bochum and 16 students from UNIC partner universities from Oulu (Finland), Liège (Belgium) and Łódź (Poland) took part in the international summer course “Resilience and Sustainability”. The aim of the course was to promote interdisciplinary teamwork to develop solutions for European cities in the areas of sustainability, demographic change and resilience. This initiative is part of the Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Program (BIP), supported by the European Union, which combines international exchanges with physical stays, such as news.rub.de reported.

After an online phase, the participants spent five days on site in Bochum, where, in addition to workshops, they also had the opportunity to exchange ideas with representatives of the city of Bochum. Emma Kuittinen, a participant from Oulu, emphasized the importance of collaboration and group dynamics in her learning process during the course. These experiences were supplemented by city tours, a reception in the Bochum town hall and a visit to the “Welcome Office Bochum”. For many international students, the personal meeting in Bochum was a particularly formative experience, especially for Emma, ​​who was in Germany for the first time.

Sustainability in focus

The summer course underlines the focus of the Erasmus+ program, which has made sustainability one of the four key priorities between 2021 and 2027. The program aims to increase awareness of climate change, environmental protection and sustainable mobility, particularly with a view to reducing the ecological footprint associated with physical mobility, so eu.daad.de. To achieve these goals, financial incentives are created that promote environmentally friendly travel options.

In addition, Erasmus+ strengthens cooperation projects on “green” topics and encourages organizations to take ecological considerations into account in every step of their projects. The course in Bochum therefore represents a practical example of how educational initiatives can be designed with a strong focus on sustainability. The repetition of the course is already being planned for 2026.

Erasmus+ and its requirements

The mobility measures of the Erasmus+ program support the physical and mixed mobility of students in different study subjects. Students have the opportunity to study at partner universities abroad as well as to complete internships at relevant institutions and companies, such as erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu explained. A flexible duration of this mobility is offered to increase accessibility for all students.

Universities must adhere to the principles of the Erasmus Chart for Higher Education and meet various criteria to ensure high quality mobility. This includes, among other things, taking into account social inclusion and support for students with fewer opportunities. The Ruhr University Bochum has been part of the European university alliance UNIC since 2020, which aims to promote international mobility programs and interdisciplinary research and further education opportunities.

Overall, the “Resilience and Sustainability” course at the Ruhr University Bochum not only represents a significant contribution to the academic training of the participants, but also reflects the current challenges and opportunities in the area of ​​sustainable development. Integrating sustainability into education is more than just a trend; it is a necessary step towards a responsible future.