Excellent and climate-friendly: University of Graz presents Green Academia Award 2024

From left: Rector Peter Riedler, Harald Stelzer (Philosophy, 1st place), Walter Kurz (Earth Sciences, 2nd place), Romana Rauter (Environmental System Sciences, 3rd place) and climate researcher Gottfried Kirchengast. Photo: University of Graz/Angele

How can outstanding academic achievements and sustainable mobility be successfully combined when travelling on business? The philosophers of the University of Graz show how. For achieving these combined goals, the discipline received the first prize in the Green Academia Award 2024, endowed with 50,000 euros. Earth Sciences came in second place, with a prize of 20,000 euros. Third place, with 10,000 euros, went to Environmental Systems Sciences. The award ceremony took place as part of the Sustainability Day.

"As the University of Graz, we have set ourselves ambitious goals on the path to true climate neutrality by 2040. The Green Academia Award is not only a recognition of outstanding scientific achievements, but also an incentive for the university to work together in setting the course for a future worth living," said Rector Peter Riedler, who thanked this year's award winners for their commitment.

Under the direction of Gottfried Kirchengast, researchers at the University of Graz's Wegener Centre have developed a calculation method to determine the three most successful disciplines according to the criteria of the Green Academia Award. The Department of Performance and Quality Management assists with the implementation. The calculation is based on a combination of the achievement of climate protection goals in the area of international business mobility and the research goals with regard to high-quality publications in the year prior to the award ceremony.

The ten scientific disciplines that best fulfil their climate protection goals in accordance with the University of Graz's Target and Performance Agreements each receive a recognition bonus of 1,000 euros. In 2024, this went to Economics, Sociology, Theology, Chemistry, Educational Sciences, Business Administration, Sports Sciences, Pharmacy, Molecular Biosciences and History.

The Green Academia Award of the University of Graz was presented for the first time in 2023. The prize money is intended to benefit research and teaching. It is up to the winners to decide how exactly they use the funds. Educational Sciences, which came first last year, supports sustainable education, research and social projects by staff and students, such as the innovative course "Eating our way through intersectional pedagogy. A teaching project in English language to connect intercultural learning and sustainability".

More information about the Green Academia Award

Gudrun Pichler

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