Research Profile
TU Dortmund University is an internationally renowned research university with a diverse academic profile spanning engineering, natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities. This disciplinary diversity forms the foundation for a scholarly examination of sustainability in its ecological, social, and economic dimensions. Research at TU Dortmund University combines a focus on fundamental research with societal relevance and a commitment to knowledge transfer. The topic of sustainability is addressed directly or indirectly in all five research areas at TU Dortmund University. Examples of sustainable research projects from these areas are listed in the “Research Activities” section.
UA Ruhr
Since 2007, TU Dortmund University has been working in close strategic collaboration with Ruhr University Bochum and the University of Duisburg-Essen under the umbrella of the University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr). Through its diverse joint research initiatives and the pooling of complementary strengths into a dynamic and high-performing network, the UA Ruhr achieves the scale necessary for pioneering solutions in the field of sustainability research. Examples of sustainable research projects at TU Dortmund University and the Research Alliance can be found in the “Research Activities” section.
Research Alliance Ruhr
Since 2021, UA Ruhr has been intensifying its cutting-edge international research through research clusters within the Research Alliance Ruhr and addressing key future challenges through four research centers and a college:
Research Communities
To expand research collaborations, “Research Communities” (in German) have been established: Based on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), these interdisciplinary networks among the three UA Ruhr universities address socially relevant, cross-cutting issues and integrate them into teaching and knowledge transfer. For example, the Research Community Sustainability (in German) brings together the UA Ruhr’s activities, expertise, and networks in research, teaching, and societal impact related to sustainability transformations, creating a shared framework for exchange, cooperation, and profile-building across universities, disciplines, and fields of practice. Topics addressed include, for example, the transformation of energy and resource systems, the circular economy and value creation, urban, metropolitan, and regional spaces, as well as governance, participation, and institutional change at the intersection of change and stability.
Klaus Töpfer Professorship
In memory of former Federal Minister for the Environment and UN Director Prof. Dr. Klaus Töpfer (1938-2024), the three partners of the UA Ruhr have established a new interdisciplinary professorship in Sustainable Development. Its aim is to provide academic impetus for societal transformation in order to preserve the natural foundations of life. The call for applications was published on the first anniversary of his death, 08 June 2025, on behalf of TU Dortmund University, Ruhr University Bochum, and the University of Duisburg-Essen.