Scientific Continuing Education and Cooperation(ZEWK)

Social Innovations

Social economy

Businesses dedicated to social solidarity in Berlin provide significant employment and generate social value by offering useful products and services in the city. In particular, these are companies with predominantly social objectives whose profits are invested exclusively or mainly in social or community-related objectives.

kubus promotes efforts in this area through active information, communication, and cooperation work with a focus on business and political partners.

Further information is available in the project list as well as related publications.
This area of focus is headed by Frank Becker.

Service learning

Kubus initiates, organizes, and supports service learning projects focused on in-depth learning through social commitment The projects are integrated into courses (project seminars), where students can earn credit points for their studies.

In addition to commitment to public welfare, self-reflection following a project is also an important aspect of service learning.

The innovative courses provide an opportunity for students and actors from civil society to come together. If necessary, kubus assists in these working processes by providing “cultural translation” between the different participants.

Kubus service learning projects:

  • UTIL - Umwelttechnisch integrierte Lehrveranstaltung - Since 2015, kubus has collaborated with the Repair Café Brunnenviertel and UTIL - In this course, students produce life cycle assessments of the CO2 savings achieved by repairing those products which are most frequently brought to the repair café - Info flyer about repair cafés and initiatives
  • Student project with the KlimaWerkstatt Spandau as well as the Alles im Fluss network in summer semester 2018 - Info flyer about the project "Spandau bechert Mehrweg" and info flyer about the network "Alles im Fluss"

A number of project laboratories and tu projects also fulfill different aspects of service learning. Further information is available here.

Social innovations

Whether community gardens, repair cafés, or re-use and continued use initiatives, social innovations are a primary driver for major transformation toward a sustainable, climate and people-friendly society.

kubus assisted with the founding of the community garden "mauergarten" and was also involved in the creation of the BRUNNENVIERTEL repair café.
Companies, too, can integrate social innovations into their business activities.
In the initiative "hikk. Holz im Kreativ Kreislauf,” kubus investigated the economic potential of using waste timber from carpenter workshops Kubus also founded the ReUse association in the area of re-use and continued use

and supports civil society initiatives as well as business and individuals with implementing social innovations.