TU Wien Embarks on Decade-Long Sustainability Drive
Vienna, Austria – – TU Wien, Vienna’s leading technology university, is launching a comprehensive, decade-long initiative to embed sustainability into all aspects of its operations, teaching, research, and infrastructure. The move, announced today, aims to establish a “culture of sustainability” across the institution, impacting its 30,000+ students, and staff.
As a significant actor in Vienna’s urban landscape and a driver of research and innovation, TU Wien views sustainability as encompassing ecological, economic, and social responsibility. This commitment is now formally integrated as Goal No. 6 within the university’s overall strategic framework.
A University Mandate
The university’s dedication to sustainability was underscored in December 2025 with its accession to the Austrian Alliance for Sustainable Universities, according to a recent announcement. Rector Jens Schneider and the university leadership envision a deeply ingrained culture of sustainability, actively embraced by all members of the TU Wien community.
Recognizing its role as a technical and scientific university with substantial research capabilities, TU Wien believes it has a particular responsibility to not only generate knowledge about sustainable technologies and systems but also to implement them within its own practices. Sustainability is therefore being approached as a cross-cutting theme, integrated across all levels of the university – from classrooms and laboratories to administrative offices and campus infrastructure, building upon a foundation of existing projects and initiatives.
Five Action Areas for a Common Framework
This holistic approach is structured around five key action areas, providing a shared framework for implementing a sustainability concept. Operational goals for the next two years have already been defined, closely aligned with the university’s current performance agreement, and are currently being implemented:
- Teaching and (Further) Education: Sustainability content is being visibly integrated into courses and established as a microcredential.
- Research and Development: A comprehensive overview of TU Wien’s research contributions to sustainable technologies, processes, and developments, as well as their implementation, is being compiled.
- Third Mission & Knowledge Transfer: TU Wien is actively participating in key sustainability initiatives within the university sector, contributing, learning, and shaping the discourse.
- Governance and Administration: Sustainability is being integrated into TU Wien’s quality assurance and decision-making processes.
- Infrastructure and Campus: A greenhouse gas inventory has been completed, and greenhouse gas emissions are being reduced.
The university emphasizes that progress will not only come from advancing sustainability within each of these areas but also from leveraging the synergies created by connecting them.
Networking as an Engine for Implementation
Existing structures, initiatives, and projects stemming from the fuTUre-fit process demonstrate the potential for these connections in practice. These efforts already illustrate how teaching, awareness-building, and infrastructure improvements can work together to create a tangible impact.
For example, the addition of new bicycle parking facilities on campus, coupled with student involvement in related coursework and collaborative efforts among various stakeholders, fosters a shared development process that extends beyond individual measures and gradually establishes a “culture of sustainability.”
The Next Two Years: From Vision to Measurable Results
The immediate focus over the next two years is on systematically consolidating existing activities and further developing initiatives within the five action areas. A comprehensive sustainability concept is under development, translating strategic guidelines into a cohesive action plan. Key measures and appropriate success criteria are being defined for all areas to ensure that progress is not only visible but also measurable and verifiable.
This phase is characterized by parallel development and implementation: concepts are not developed in isolation but are refined, tested, and further developed through practical application. Experiences are directly fed back into the conceptual work – a learning process with a high degree of practicality and impact orientation.
Sustainability Design Office to Lead Coordination
To strategically consolidate the multitude of activities and drive further development, the Sustainability Design Office (SDO) has been established. Led by Gudrun Weinwurm and Iva Ilieva, the SDO serves as a coordinating body, defining overarching goals, structuring processes, and fostering exchange between internal and external stakeholders.
“We bring together topics and people to create synergy and thus allow the bigger picture to emerge, and a spirit of sustainability to be truly felt throughout our entire university,” describes Gudrun Weinwurm, outlining the SDO’s ambition.
The coming two years represent a crucial stage, laying the conceptual, organizational, and cultural foundations for the sustainable development of TU Wien, highlighting what already exists, and setting in motion what will have a lasting impact.
Contact
Dipl.-Ing. Dr.techn. Gudrun Weinwurm and Dipl.-Ing. Iva Ilieva
Telephone: +43 1 58801 412435
Email: nachhaltigkeit@tuwien.ac.at
