Succesful working visit University of Bremen to Sustainable Society

March 27 and March 28 a delegation of the University of Bremen visited the University of Groningen in the field of Sustainable Society. The meeting was organized around one of the six research clusters of Sustainable Society: Diversity, Inclusion & Pluralism. The central theme of the gathering was: Workshop: Dilemmas of social sustainability and cultural diversity. Several concrete research projects and activities was the result of the visit.  

The program started with an informal dinner It was a great way to start the visit, because everyone could meet before the real program started. During dinner there was a good atmosphere.

On Friday the workshop was organized at the Van Swinderenhuis. Prof.dr. Kocku von Stuckrad (member of the Managing Board of Sustainable Society) welcomed everyone. He talked about the progress that that has been made with Sustainable Society. He made clear that Sustainable Society is looking forward to strengthen cooperation between Groningen and Bremen. He mentioned that the goal of this gathering was to come up with some project ideas and/or concrete projects.

Thereafter prof. dr. Yasemin Karakaşoğlu (Vice-Rector of the University of Bremen) took the floor. She thanked Sustainable Society for inviting them and she said that the University of Bremen is looking for interdisciplinary cooperation with the University of Groningen. All researchers from Bremen introduced themselves followed by the researchers from Groningen. After introducing, researchers were mixing and out of nowhere interdisciplinary contacts were born. Researchers from different disciplines discussed about relevant issues and project ideas, but also about concrete actions after the meeting. Also during the coffee break and lunchtime everyone kept on thinking through new ideas of cooperation.

Concrete research collaborations were created:

• Cooperation projects on Sustainable Knowledge, Health Interventions and Anonymity
• Joint research in the field of Confict (related to diversity) and Grief cultures
• An experiment with setting up a cross regional policy lab

Some of the cooperation projects might lead to a joint call in several funding schemes like HERA, Interreg A & B and Horizon 2020.
The two universities are planning a work seminar at the beginning of 2015 in Bremen.