Sustainable future in focus: Prof. Lesch opens lecture series in Giessen

Sustainable future in focus: Prof. Lesch opens lecture series in Giessen

In Giessen, a new lecture series at the Justus Liebig University is causing a stir. The event series starts on Monday, October 28th under the title “Education with a Future – Future through Education”. The renowned astrophysicist and science journalist Prof. Harald Lesch opens the series with a lecture on the exciting topic “The sustainable university – a utopia”. With this launch, the university wants to emphasize the importance of education in a constantly changing world.

The responsibility that universities have for educating future generations is enormous. In a society in which more and more young people are choosing to study - more than 50 percent of a year group currently do so - universities play a central role. Not only technical knowledge is required, but also skills such as critical thinking and social responsibility. These skills are crucial in order to be able to meet challenges such as climate change, political conflicts or migration.

Important topics of the lecture series

The lecture series will deal with a variety of topics that are currently of great relevance. These include, among other things, the challenges posed by crises and the associated need to anchor sustainability in education. The threat to democracy, particularly from right-wing populist movements, should also be an important point of discussion. The JLU is committed to not only looking at these topics academically, but also actively discussing them with the general public.

Particular attention is paid to the training of teachers. The JLU sees itself as having a duty to optimally prepare future teachers for their tasks in schools. This not only includes imparting knowledge, but also strengthening their social and ethical responsibility in everyday teaching. The university wants to ensure that its graduates are able to support the next generations and shape a vibrant, fair society.

Further interesting events are planned for the remainder of the winter semester. On November 11th, Ties Rabe, former Senator for Schools and Vocational Training in Hamburg, will speak about the second PISA shock. A panel discussion will take place on November 12th to address the topic of cooperation in the field of education. These and many other events are part of the JLU's commitment to seeing education not only as a legal but also as a social good.

The lecture series is not only intended for students, but is aimed at a broad public. The scientific coordination is in the hands of Prof. Edith Braun from the Chair of University Didactics. This is the second edition of the series, which is also integrated into an introductory module of the interdisciplinary Bachelor of Liberal Arts & Sciences degree program.

JLU sees education as the key to shaping positive futures. Modern technologies and new teaching methods, including artificial intelligence, offer new opportunities. The lecture series is intended to help recognize and utilize these opportunities. Students are called upon to actively participate in shaping their future to ensure that the next generation lives in a world worth living in.

For further information on the topics and dates of the lecture series, visit the website www.giessener-anzeiger.de.