Guiding principles of the chair Economic Education and Sustainable Consumption(Arbeitslehre/ Ökonomie und Nachhaltiger Konsum, ALÖNK) at Technische Universität Berlin

With our work at the chair we want to contribute actively to a positive life style change within the three dimensions of sustainability - ecology, social matters and  economy.

Our working methods can be characterized by transparency, open-mindedness and reliability as well as a respectful interaction with each other and our partners.

We feel responsible, both in a societal as well as in a university and institutional context, to bring up relevant questions and to find adequate and innovative answers.

Concerning this, we perceive teaching and research as equally important and engage on a high level in our specialist discipline.

Our teaching: mutual encouraging and questioning

We offer an attractive work studies program. Project orientation in the courses, practical work in our workshops as well as an open dialogue with our students are of great significance to us.

The teaching content is primarily focused on the students' interest. Therefore, we also take the goals of the teaching studies program into account. Moreover, we want to reach a broader application of our multidisciplinary teaching approach.

On the one hand, we are aiming at a high teaching quality by using and constantly improving the scientific, methodological and social competencies. This demand is not only valid for the teachers but also for the students. On the other hand, we expect a high dedication from the students concerning the study goals.

The integration of teaching and research as well as the active exchange with our intra- and extramural partners play an important role at our chair. Thus we actively participate in the further development of the framework conditions for a viable work studies program.

Our research: scientific quality and social relevance

With our research we want to strengthen the basis of our teaching at the chair and at the same time contribute to finding solutions for socially relevant issues.

Therefore the contents of our research activities are adjusted to our course offers. We mainly focus on sustainable consumption. Our understanding of sustainable consumption is the ecological, social and economic assumption of responsibility by consumers. Additionally, consumer politics and the behavior of companies are central points of reference.

Considering theoretical basics and the choice of methods, our research, as well as the whole work studies program, follows a multi disciplinary approach.

The results of our research should be published as soon as possible. This can happen either in form of publications or presentations, which ensures our establishment in national and international research groups.

The network ties with economic, governmental and civil actors allow practical research and the wide distribution of our results. We also feel obligated to maintain a high standard in consultation and participation activities. We perceive Berlin as special location that offers on the one hand many chances but also on the other hand entails obligations.

We understand our guiding principles as a contribution to the implementation of the University Mission of Technische Universität Berlin and as an application and addition to the Environmental Guidelines of Technische Universität Berlin.