With answers to these pressing questions and in line with the guiding principle "We make sustainability a priority", the SustainMV summer school is entering its fifth round this year. The summer school is a joint project of the universities in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. After a three-day online kick-off, participants will meet in person from 26 August to 5 September to find out at first-hand how researchers at the Universities of Greifswald and Rostock as well as the Universities of Applied Sciences Stralsund, Wismar and Neubrandenburg, and the Rostock University of Music and Theatre approach the topic of sustainability.
As part of this project, international students tackle the topic of sustainability in different contexts and discuss it with experts from the universities of applied sciences and universities. For example, the summer school offers lectures on the connections between technology and sustainability, the use of renewable energies, sustainable tourism, and climate ethics. The summer school thus demonstrates a wide range of possibilities for shaping a sustainable future.
This year, more than 300 students from 49 countries applied for the in-person part of the summer school - a new record! 30 of them were selected for the programme. They are studying environmental or engineering sciences, computer science or communication studies, philosophy, business administration, or social sciences. They come from 19 countries, including Colombia, Brazil, Vietnam, Armenia, Ukraine, China, the USA, Canada, France, and Poland.
During the two-week programme, participants are introduced to the locations of the cooperating universities and experience at first-hand what it is like to study in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. In addition to seminars, workshops and lab tours, the students will go on excursions to Hiddensee or to the Rostock aquaponics facility "FischGlasHaus". The leisure programme also has a lot to offer: campus and town tours as well as a BBQ are some of the highlights on the agenda.
Public kick-off and closing event
The kick-off event that is open to the general public will take place on Tuesday, 26 August 2025, at 3.30 p.m. in the MakerPort [de] in Stralsund. Experts from the private sector, associations, politics, and universities will discuss the topic of "Sustainable Futures of Coastal Regions". The talks will look at the challenges faced by coastal regions in general and the Baltic Sea region in particular, possible solutions and approaches that are already being tested.
This year's summer school will also conclude with an event that is open to the general public: On Thursday, 4 September 2025, at 5 p.m., the Academic Director of the Alfried Krupp Wissenschaftskolleg, Prof. Dr. Thomas Klinger, will give a lecture on "Fusion Energy for a Sustainable Future" at the Alfried Krupp Wissenschaftskolleg Greifswald that will provide an overview of the state of research into solar energy production and place these developments in the context of the global energy transition. Anyone interested is warmly invited to attend the events!
Further information
The summer school SustainMV is co-financed by Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s Ministry of Science, Culture, Federal and European Affairs.
Website SustainMV
An image film on SustainMV is available here.
Contact at the University of Greifswald
International Office
Coordinator SustainMV: Lydia Bandow
Domstraße 58 A, 17489 Greifswald
Tel.: +49 3834 420 1337
infosustainmvde