Sustainability in studying and teaching

Selected interdisciplinary courses focused on climate, environment and sustainability:

• Lecture series Environment, Climate, Sustainability (Directorate of Studies for Earth Sciences)
  This lecture series by the Environmental and Climate Research Hub (ECH) of the University of Vienna takes place in the winter semester of 2025/2026 and pairs academic findings with practical solutions.
   
• Lecture series Climate Change and Climate Crisis (Directorate of Studies for Geography)
  This lecture series provides an interdisciplinary perspective on climate change and its impacts on the (a)biotic environment and human livelihoods.
   
• Sustainability Challenge (web page in German)
  An interdisciplinary, cross-university, two-semester elective course on sustainability with a focus on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – for master’s students and advanced bachelor’s students of all degree programmes.
   
• Science for Policy Hackathon
  The Urban Sustainability Living Lab (USLL) in cooperation with the UniVie Innovation Team and the City of Vienna offers the course ‘Urban Research to Practice’, including teaching units, a two-day hackathon and a concluding pitch event.
   
• Science or Science Fiction (web page in German) 
  How to make research more sustainable 
  This course equips participants with foundational knowledge on climate change, carbon footprints and regulations of the European Green Deal – with practice-oriented tools, interactive exercises and plenty of room for discussion.
   
• Lectures for Future (L4F) (web page in German)
  An interdisciplinary lecture series being offered at several Austrian higher education institutions, where researchers provide insights into their current academic research on sustainable development and the climate crisis.

 [JP1]Tippfehler im deutschen Text: Bitte „Hackaton“ durch „Hackathon“ (mit -h) ersetzen

Selected degree programmes of the University of Vienna with a focus on climate, environment and sustainability:

• Meteorology and Climate Science (bachelor’s programme)
  The bachelor's programme in Meteorology and Climate Science at the University of Vienna aims to equip students with academic core competences in the field of meteorology and the ability to apply these to solve practical problems.
   
• Ecology and Ecosystems (master’s programme)
  The master's programme in Ecology and Ecosystems (MEC) focuses on an understanding of ecosystem processes and the connection between biodiversity and the functionality of ecosystems.
   
• Geographies of Global Change and Sustainability Transformations (master's programme)
  Students of this bilingual and internationally oriented master's programme learn to analyse and reflect on global challenges and sustainability transformations.
   
• Environmental Systems: Processes – Pollution – Solutions (master’s programme)
  The master’s programme and the Environmental Sciences Research Network are a hub for students and scientists who want to focus on the earth’s environment and some of its most urgent problems.
   
• Botany (master’s programme)
  The specialisation in Botany focuses on combining the special fields of systematic and evolutionary botany, structural botany and molecular plant biology. It promotes interdisciplinary networking, also with non-botanical disciplines.
   
• Conservation Biology and Biodiversity Management (master's programme)
  The defined goal of this master’s programme is to educate qualified experts in the field of environmental protection to work in public administration, nature reserve management (both on a national and international level), test procedures, and eco-friendly planning and consulting.
   
• Green Chemistry (master's programme)
  The international master's programme in Green Chemistry equips students with knowledge and competences for sustainable, resource-efficient and green chemistry. It focuses on innovative methods, which reduce the use of dangerous substances, increase energy efficiency and promote the circular economy.
   
• Science-Technology-Society (master’s programme)
  Understanding the complex relationships between academia, technology and society is an important skill in the world of today. The master's programme in Science-Technology-Society offers the opportunity to acquire in-depth knowledge in this area.

Extension curricula (EC) offer the opportunity to acquire competences in the areas of climate, environment and sustainable development beyond your own subject area:

• The Natural Sciences’ View of the World (in German)
• Ecology: Relationship between Organisms and the Environment (in German and English)
• Understanding and Shaping Politics (in German)
• Public Affairs:Exerting Influence on Political Decision-Making (in German)
• Earth System II:Geosciences, Meteorology and Climatology (in German)
• Economic Policy:Economic Processes in Social and Political Contexts (in German and English)
• Understanding the Interactions between Academia, Technology and Society  (in German)
• Geography: Climate Change (in German)
• Geography: Environmental Systems in Transition (in German)
• Health Literacy and Empowerment for Students (in German)