Mission Statement

FH Erfurt - Shaping Transformation

Transforming society to ensure comprehensive sustainable development - i.e. future-proof growth that reconciles social and economic demands with ecological constraints and opportunities - is the great challenge of the 21st century. As a university of applied sciences, we have a responsibility to play a creative role in the transformative processes required to achieve this in society, culture, business, technology and academia. We invite you to be part of social and technological change - whether as students, teachers, researchers or employees in all areas of administration and support services.

We therefore declare that:

1. Sustainable development requires initiative, expertise and the will to shape urgently needed, diverse and challenging processes of change. In this regard, our teaching and research are highly relevant in all the fields we focus on.
2. We are tackling climate policy challenges and aim to be a climate-neutral university by 2030. We impart and cultivate the knowledge and skills required to do so both through our teaching and research. The university implements the necessary measures to achieve these goals.
3. Teaching and research are interdisciplinary in nature; we combine theory and practice and provide stimuli for globally sustainable developments through interdisciplinary cooperation, particularly in the local region, but also on a national and international scale.
4. In our approach to teaching, we believe that education for sustainable development is about empowering people to act courageously, responsibly and professionally in the spirit of self-efficacy.
5. As a place where students can learn to cope with many different circumstances, the university attaches great importance to individual support for students.
6. As an open-minded university, we are committed to equal opportunities, equal participation, diversity and inclusion, and firmly oppose all forms of discrimination, racism and extremism.
7. The university is a family-friendly, appreciative and attractive working environment for all of its members and affiliates.
8. Together with those involved in teaching and research, the administration plays a key role in shaping the sustainable development of the university as an institution. Transparent, lean, digitalized and efficient processes help us to achieve our common goals.
9. Team spirit, flat hierarchies and respectful interaction enable the diverse potential available in our administration, research and teaching to thrive and thereby underpin our positive impact - both inwardly in the university community and outwardly in society.

These principles and objectives are the basis for defining mission statements and objectives for

• the faculties
• teaching
• research
• administration
• the central facilities
• human resource development
• our premises and estates

The mission statements and objectives of the above-mentioned entities are to be developed in consultation with all sections of the university in the faculties and respective committees and professionally coordinated by centralized support staff. These mission statements and objectives should incorporate measurable parameters and deadlines and be subsequently monitored.