Knowledge for Transformation: Between Dialogue and Responsibility

The lecture series of the Berliner Modell: Ausbildung für nach- und nebenberufliche Aktivitäten (BANA) guest student program at Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) is aimed at the general public and addresses current issues of social relevance. The format fosters dialogue with civil society, allowing participants to engage with the speakers after each lecture – for instance, by sharing questions, suggestions or comments. The lecture series for the winter semester 2026/27 is organized and conducted in collaboration with researchers from the ECDF, the Cooperation Unit for Science and the World of Work as well as the TU Berlin Science Shop (kubus). The second session of the series will take place on November 26, 2026, at the ECDF.

 

Current, profound processes of societal transformation bring with them both hopes and fears or uncertainties. Science can play a vital role in shaping this transformation equitably. In doing so, it increasingly faces the task not only of generating knowledge about societal challenges but also of actively participating in addressing them. At the same time, societal collaboration is increasingly taking place in contexts marked by polarization and skepticism towards science. This event explores how science and society can engage in constructive dialogue and examines the role higher education institutions play in shaping processes of sustainable change. The focus is on approaches such as transdisciplinary research, co-creation and transformative education, which facilitate new forms of collaboration and shared pathways for tackling societal challenges.

 

1. Lecture:

Between Dialogue and Boundaries: Sustainability Research Caught Between the Mandate for Cooperation and Skepticism Toward Science

Prof. Dr. Melanie Jaeger-Erben (Professor of Technical and Environmental Sociology, Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus-Senftenberg)

Teaser

Transdisciplinary sustainability research aims to help shape societal transformation; however, it increasingly encounters contexts where skepticism toward science, polarization and right-wing movements make the ground for cooperation difficult. This lecture discusses how researchers can engage in negotiation with stakeholders under these conditions without legitimizing dehumanizing positions and examines the strategic, ethical and personal limits of co-creation in polarized societies.

 

2. Lecture:

From Teaching to TransformaCon – The Sustain.ALL TransformaCon HUB: How Higher Education Institutions Shape the Future Together with Society

Prof. Dr. Andrea Cominola (ECDF & TU Berlin)

Bengisu Berispek (Founder of Sustain.ALL)

Teaser

At the Sustain.ALL Transformation HUB, students, researchers, administrative staff and practical partners work together to address real-world sustainability challenges and develop concrete solutions. This event presents a transdisciplinary approach that combines co-creation, challenge-based learning, participation and societal collaboration. Through practical examples, it demonstrates how higher education institutions can become spaces for experimentation and innovation where learning, research and civic engagement intersect. This fosters the long-term development of transformative competencies and drives sustainable change – both within and beyond the university.

 

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