News

Project Week Excursion Combines STEM Learning, Regional History, and Sustainability

Details

As part of the summer semester project week, students from both cohorts of the STEM programme participated in a full-day excursion through the region surrounding THM in Friedberg.

A total of 19 students and 4 lecturers joined the hike, which covered 12.7 kilometres and approximately 330 metres of elevation gain. Despite temperatures reaching 32 °C, all participants successfully completed the route.

Travelling by bus from Friedberg to Rosbach, the group began a journey that combined physical activity, regional exploration, and hands-on learning. The route led to a sandstone quarry, the historic Kapersburg, the Kuhkopf, the telecommunications tower on the Steinkopf, and the Wintersteinturm before continuing to Ockstadt and returning to Friedberg by bus.

Throughout the excursion, lecturers regularly stopped at points of interest to provide practical insights into local customs, regional history, geology, sustainability, and development issues. These discussions connected academic STEM topics with real-world observations and encouraged interdisciplinary exchange between students from both cohorts.

Particularly noteworthy were the extensive areas affected by forest dieback, which offered a visible example of environmental change and its impact on local ecosystems. The group also passed areas designated for future wind energy projects, providing an opportunity to discuss renewable energy and the challenges of the ongoing energy transition.

The excursion was designed not only to deepen academic understanding but also to strengthen teamwork and foster interaction among students and lecturers. A shared picnic at the Wintersteinturm provided a welcome break, while the day concluded at THM with a communal barbecue and local Hessian specialties, including "Handkäse mit Musik".

The excursion successfully combined outdoor activity, cultural and historical exploration, sustainability education, and community building, making it a memorable highlight of the project week.

Info Sessions – Master’s Program STEM

Details

Curious about shaping a sustainable future through innovation, management and engineering?

Join our online info sessions to learn more about the Master’s program Sustainability Transformation in Engineering and Management (STEM) – an interdisciplinary program designed to equip future change agents with the skills to drive sustainable transformation in engineering, management, and beyond.

During the sessions, you will receive a short introduction to the program, followed by an interactive Q&A session. This format gives you the opportunity to ask individual questions and directly engage with the STEM team.

The sessions are designed to help you gain:

  • a clear understanding of the study structure and program content
  • insight into admission requirements and the application process
  • an authentic impression of student life and learning experiences within STEM

You will also have the opportunity to meet the people behind the program and learn more about how STEM prepares students to work on real-world sustainability challenges in interdisciplinary contexts.

No preparation is needed – just join and ask your questions. The sessions are open to prospective students from all backgrounds, including engineering, environmental sciences, business, and related fields.

📅 Dates:
Thursday, 07.05.2026 – 13:00 (CEST)
Thursday, 11.06.2026 – 13:00 (CEST)
Friday, 03.07.2026 – 13:00 (CEST)

🔗 Zoom-Link:
https://thm-de.zoom-x.de/j/63766813389?pwd=3bdjMvdCOYbQM2Wx4g3srAKwKuoCd4.1
Meeting-ID: 637 6681 3389
Passcode: 164706

We look forward to meeting you online!

STEM at the Symposium “Universities as Change Agents in Sustainable Development”

Details

On March 18–19, 2026, the STEM program of Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen is participating in the international symposium “Universities as Change Agents in Sustainable Development" at Tallinn University in Tallinn, Estonia. The event brings together researchers and practitioners to discuss the role of higher education institutions in advancing sustainable development.

The symposium opened with remarks by Vice-Rector Katrin Saks and Walter Leal, who emphasized the growing importance of sustainability in times marked by global uncertainty and conflict. Their contributions highlighted the responsibility of universities to actively contribute to societal transformation.

Throughout the sessions, the role of universities in educating future change agents was explored from multiple perspectives. The relevance of the topic was also reflected in the intensive discussions among participants. A key takeaway emerging from both formal sessions and informal exchanges is that embedding sustainable development effectively in society requires universities to be equipped with sufficient resources - both financially and in terms of personnel.

The THM STEM team contributes to the symposium with the presentation: “Educating Change Agents for the SDGs: Early Experiences from a Transdisciplinary Master's Program.” Presented by Prof. Dr. Nadine Wills-Stroh and Lena Oestreich, the paper provides insights into the international and transdisciplinary STEM master’s program at THM. It highlights initial experiences in designing and implementing a program aimed at equipping students with the competencies needed to act as change agents for sustainable development.

The symposium once again demonstrates the crucial role of universities in shaping pathways toward a more sustainable future and fostering the next generation of responsible professionals.

tallinn Lena und Nadine

FutureScape Conference 2026: Developing Sustainable Solutions for Real-World Challenges

Details

The FutureScape Conference marked a key milestone within the FutureScape Conference teaching innovation project and simultaneously concluded the module “Transformation Fields – Interdisciplinary Cooperation Project.”

At the heart of the module is Challenge-Based Learning (CBL), a practice-oriented approach in which students work on real-world challenges and develop independent, solution-oriented concepts.

A Real-World Sustainability Challenge

This year’s challenge was developed in collaboration with a practice partner. The task: to design a concept for the meaningful use of currently unused space in a future branch in Friedberg.

All proposed solutions were guided by the principles of Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

Interdisciplinary and International Perspectives

During the conference, two student teams presented their concepts and engaged in in-depth discussions with the audience.

Their approaches addressed key questions of sustainable resource use:

  • The recycling and reuse of coffee waste, including ideas for circular economy solutions and customer awareness
  • Foodsharing strategies focused on reducing food waste and improving the use of surplus food

In addition, two discussions provided valuable insights into sustainable material use and innovative approaches to food redistribution.

Exchange, Reflection, and Community

The event concluded with a poster exhibition and informal networking session, offering space for further discussion and exchange between students, faculty, and guests.

For the students, the conference also represented an important moment of reflection. After an intensive first semester, it became clear how much they had developed – academically, personally, and as teams.

Part of a Long-Term Teaching Innovation Project

The FutureScape Conference is an integral part of a two-year teaching innovation project funded through the StiL initiative. The goal is to establish and continuously refine this format over multiple cycles.

With this year’s successful conference, the project has taken another significant step forward.

New Info Session Dates Announced

Details

Curious about driving sustainable change through innovation and engineering?

Join us for an online info session to explore the international Master’s program Sustainability Transformation in Engineering and Management (STEM) – where technology, management, and sustainability meet to shape a better future.

📅 Dates:

  • Thursday, November 14, 2025
  • Monday, December 8, 2025
  • Wednesday, January 7, 2026

🕐 Time: 13:00–14:00 (CET)
📍 Location: Online via Zoom

🔗 Zoom link: 

https://thm-de.zoom-x.de/j/66651734723?pwd=nGpK8WzagEWe5x6QuOuiaBBaKbpYhf.1

Meeting-ID: 666 5173 4723
Kenncode: 232783

During the session, you’ll learn how STEM prepares you to tackle real-world sustainability challenges with an interdisciplinary approach, combining engineering expertise, management skills, and innovative thinking.

Whether your background is in engineering, environmental sciences, business, or another related field, this program empowers you to make a real impact. 
We look forward to meeting you online!

  1. Reminder: Info session - new Master STEM
  2. Info session - new Master STEM