Dear employees and students of the University of Bremen,

Since its foundation, the University of Bremen has stood for social responsibility. In view of the challenges of our time, this year the Academic Senate decided, upon concluding intensive discussions, that the University of Bremen will make sustainability, climate justice, and climate neutrality (NKK) its fundamental guiding principle and will align itself with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals .
The current Climate Change Conference (COP 27) once again highlights the urgency of setting the course for effective climate protection and sustainable development. Unfortunately, the interim conclusion concerning these measures is that the commitments made by governments to date are not enough to sustain natural livelihoods in the long term. To achieve the internationally agreed goal of limiting global warming to well below 2°C, major joint efforts are also needed in Bremen. At the same time, a climate-friendly, sustainable, and equitable way of life brings a wide range of opportunities with it that we can take advantage of and help shape. Well-trained and dedicated people are needed to develop and implement future solutions to challenges across disciplines.
It was primarily the student group that motivated and moved the university forward in this discussion and decision-making process. However, it is a topic that affects us all, and many members of the university – as the discussions show – have been contributing to the global sustainability goals at their respective places of work for a long time, sometimes in pioneering ways. In the future, this will become a university-wide concern, which is being unanimously supported by the University Executive Board. With its basic participatory structure and interdisciplinary teaching and research culture, the University of Bremen is a special place for the anchoring and further development of the topics of sustainability, climate justice, and climate neutrality as a crosscutting task across all status groups.
I would like to take this opportunity to inform all members of the University about the recent developments that have taken place on the university level concerning NKK and the next steps that are planned. The aim is to give the many already existing and important individual activities a common framework, to make them more visible as part of an overall university path, and to network and increase their numbers.

What has happened so far …
In November 2021, the Academic Senate established the quarter-parity Standing Commission on Sustainability, Climate Justice, and Climate Neutrality (NKK Commission). The commission has set itself the task of developing a sustainability strategy for the university as a common framework and initiating processes to implement said strategy. The commission reports continuously on its work within the Academic Senate and discusses its interim results with other committees of the university, such as the Research Commission, the Commission for Studies and Teaching, etc.
In April 2022, at the suggestion of the NKK Commission, the Academic Senate adopted the following basic consensus as a guide for further work:
"Sustainability is the fundamental guiding principle of the University of Bremen.
In view of the climate crisis, the extinction of species, and other crises threatening the existence of the world, the global sustainability goals and climate justice are central concerns of the university.
The university acknowledges its responsibility for the necessary global social-ecological transformation and for justice towards present and future generations.
For this transformation as an overarching, strategic task of the university, specific and binding goals and measures are to be defined in a university-wide sustainability strategy. The university relies on an understanding of sustainability in which ecological framework conditions as well as social and economic aspects are taken into account in an interlinked manner."

At the same time, the university's mission statement, which dates back to 2000, is to be updated. This is being undertaken by a working group led by myself with broad participation from all status groups and areas of the university.
Additionally, the Sustainability Forum advisory group has existed for several years on the university level. Coordinated by the Environmental Manager of the University of Bremen, Dr. Doris Sövegjarto, the group works together with the Director of Finance and Administration, who is responsible for campus operations, to develop environmental and climate protection measures that directly affect said campus operations. Expert members of all status groups are represented in this advisory group. The environmental manager is part of the NKK commission and the Mission Statement working group.

What happens next …
In January 2023, the members of the Academic Senate will hold the first NKK Day of our university together with an extended circle, including among others, the deans of all twelve faculties and other guests. The agenda will include proposals for pilot processes as operational steps and the sustainability strategy as a university-wide framework, for example. During the preparatory phase, faculties and institutions in particular are invited to develop ideas for decentralized activities.
In spring 2023, the Mission Statement working group will present a draft of the updated mission statement to the Academic Senate for consideration and acceptance. The working group focuses on sustainability as a central concern and incorporates it into the university's other strategic concerns, such as gender equality, internationalization, interdisciplinarity, and diversity.
As president, I am responsible for communicating the university's developments to the State Rectors' Conference in order to promote cooperation and exchange with the state's universities in the future. A federally funded joint university strategy project of the four state universities in Bremen (BreGoS - Bremen Goes Sustainable. A University Region on the Path to Sustainability.), which will start its work in December 2022, marks the beginning of a new cooperation within Bremen.

What the NKK process will not be ... !
The university's focus on sustainability, climate justice, and climate neutrality, which was decided on by the Academic Senate and has now been institutionalized in terms of committees with the establishment of the NKK Commission, as well as the inclusion of sustainability as the guiding principle of the university, should not restrict anyone at the university in their freedom to research, teach, and study. Of course, there will and must be research topics and teaching and study contents that are not directly related to sustainability, climate justice, and climate neutrality. These will continue to have their place at the university.

How you can get involved in the university-wide process ...
•        You may attend the Academic Senate meetings that are open to the university public. Dates and information can be found here (in German): https://www.uni-bremen.de/as
•        You can contact the Academic Senate and the NKK Commission representatives elected by your status group and voice your concerns. The Academic Senate members of your status group can be found here (in German): https://www.uni-bremen.de/as and those in the NKK Commission here (in German): https://www.uni-bremen.de/as/gremienliste
•        Take advantage of the opportunity to contribute your ideas and questions within your faculties and institutions.
•        You are very welcome to send me feedback and constructive criticism regarding the entire NKK process: rektorin@uni-bremen.de. 


I would like to extend my thanks to all participants.
Kind regards,

Prof. Dr. Jutta Günther
President

For reference and further information:
The NKK story in up2date: https://up2date.uni-bremen.de/en/higher-education-policy/sustainability-to-become-the-fundamental-guiding-principle-of-the-university-of-bremen
The student voice in up2date:  https://up2date.uni-bremen.de/en/university-society/sustainability-i-think-there-is-currently-a-culture-change-taking-place-at-the-university-of-bremen
NKK resolution from the Academic Senate in April 2022, No. 9162 (in German): https://www.uni-bremen.de/fileadmin/user_upload/sites/as/beschluesse/2022/9162.pdf