Sustainable development in chemistry studies - Promoting key competences for sustainable development

Sustainable Development is currently an important societal issue. The huge impact on society is reflected in the 17 sustainable development goals, the United Nations declared within Agenda 2030. For chemistry, these challenges have gained more attention since the 1990s. Especially multiperspective consideration of emerging questions poses various requirements to future chemists. Reaching from complex system-thinking including ecology, economy, society, culture and policy, to risk assessment of decisions – future chemists are confronted with new challenges.

This project aims to enhance future chemists’ competences in fostering sustainable development. Therefore, complex, sustainable-oriented questions are to be included within the lab course on chemical analytics. Students should be confronted with conflicting goals of different interest-groups. Digital learning environments should enable students to gather digital measurements which then should get included in decision-making processes. Digital self-study material will be developed to support competence building of the future chemists.