Work packages

Work Package 1 is responsible for ensuring effective and efficient project management. This includes managing and coordinating the project, managing all administrative, legal and financial aspects, as well as quality, risk and conflict management to ensure the long-term sustainability and integration of the project into the university system.

OVGU is co-lead of WP1 and is in charge of quality management for EU GREEN. Local coordination acts as an interface between Alliance and University, while OVGU representatives are active in all EU GREEN committees. Procedures, standards and feedback processes are being developed which enable all partners to continuously reflect on and improve their work packages.

Central activities include managing the Quality & Impact Commission, preparing the Quality Management Handbook, establishing quality standards and developing interactive feedback processes as part of the EU GREEN quality cycle. OVGU also represents Allianz in the Foreu4all Quality Assurance Topical Group as Co-Chair.

Work Package 9 Impact ensures that the work of the EU GREEN Alliance is visible and brings about real change. The team is developing a joint Impact framework, which makes the Alliance's progress measurable and transparent, from linking it with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to reporting on the impact on study, research, innovation and society.

The OVGU coordinates the Impact & Quality Commission, creates the first SDG Impact Report and organizes workshops and webinars that help universities and project teams plan their activities in an impact-oriented manner. This work not only strengthens Allianz's strategic development, but also its visibility and contribution to a sustainable transformation of higher education in Europe.

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Work Package 9 - Infrastructure aims to create a common digital platform for the EU GREEN Alliance. This will enable students, teachers and employees to easily cooperate across countries and universities, in studying and teaching as well as in research. Digital networking forms the basis for modern, efficient and integrative cooperation within the Alliance.

OVGU is playing a leading role in this: The SAP UCC team manages the development of digital infrastructure, coordinates work processes and the development of prototypes, as well as creating test environments for new solutions. The Romanian partner university in Oradea's accession to the European network eduGAIN was a particular success, which provides secure digital access. The harmonization of metadata for study, research and campus services is equally groundbreaking. This is an important step towards a networked alliance platform.

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Work Package 9 - Communication is responsible for the comprehensive communication of sustainability principles and the global sustainable development goals (SDGs), as well as increasing the visibility of the alliance and its events. Furthermore, this work package is responsible for ensuring smooth and open communication between partner universities to ensure all alliance opportunities are presented to all EU GREEN members.

Our Communication activies revolve around providing important information to students, researchers, staff and the general public on how they can benefit from EU GREEN. One core objective of this work package is the development and implementation of a communication strategy that serves both internal and external stakeholders.

Strengthening dialogue and information exchange between members as well as external partners is an important task of the communication work package, as is fostering a collaborative atmosphere. In supporting Europe-wide networking for EU GREEN members at all levels, we are helping to shape a common identity for the alliance.

Work Package 2 focuses on developing and implementing an education strategy that integrates European values, learner-centered teaching principles, and the SDGs. This includes improving the professional development of teachers, adapting curricula to sustainability-oriented guidelines and creating new inter-university modules and degrees. From Language Cafes to Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs) to Joint Degrees, these formats promote research-based learning, mobility for teachers & learners, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Otto von Guericke University is actively involved in this work package in the form of several subordinate working groups. Colleagues from the International Office, the Language Center and other institutions help create a wide range of learning opportunities. The development of two master's degree programs is particularly exciting here: Green Energy and Sustainable Economics. These pioneering programs make an important contribution to the sustainable transformation of higher education in Europe.

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Work Package 3 focuses on developing transnational, interdisciplinary research activities on the 17 global UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The research activities are organized in six thematic research clusters:

1. Health and wellbeing
2. Agriculture, food and environmental sustainability
3. Engineering and technology for sustainable development
4. Sustainable tourism
5. Educational Sciences for Sustainable Development
6. Challenges for biodiversity and ecosystem function

OVGU is taking on the leading role in Cluster 3 “Engineering and Technology for Sustainable Development” and is also active with researchers in other clusters.

Support for researchers includes providing seed funding opportunities, organising conferences and access to research infrastructures. In addition, the European Task Force provides advice on applying for EU funding, in particular within the framework of Horizon Europe. The PhD Council promotes doctoral education, for example through an annual summer school, the “3-Minute Fame” competition and, from 2025/2026, by establishing a joint doctoral framework (Joint PhD Framework).

A particular highlight of the work package is the annual Research Week, which is to be hosted by OVGU in Magdeburg in June 2026.

Work Package 4 strengthens the innovative capacity of universities in peripheral regions of Europe by promoting closer cooperation between science and industry. The work package supports the joint development of sustainable solutions, the transformation of research results into practical applications and the positioning of EU GREEN universities as drivers for inclusive economic and regional development.

At the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, the Transfer and Start-Up Center (TUGZ) plays a central role in the implementation of WP4. Through initiatives such as “Entrepreneur's Journey”, which offers aspiring entrepreneurs structured training and mentoring, and the establishment of local innovation centers, OVGU promotes technology transfer, supports the development of start-ups with a focus on sustainability and strengthens cooperation between universities and industry.

Notable successes, such as the presentation of an effective social innovation by the “Unchain & Reclaim” student team at the Entrepreneur's Meeting in Évora, underline the reach and efficacy of the program. The upcoming opening of the EU GREEN Innovation Hub on the OVGU campus will further improve this ecosystem. As a central platform for students, researchers and regional partners, the hub will promote cooperation, accelerate knowledge transfer and enable the development of scalable, practical solutions to societal challenges.

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Work Package 5 is dedicated to actively involving society in the goals of EU GREEN with a focus on sustainability and the global sustainable development goals (SDGs). The aim is to build a bridge between science and society through publicly accessible workshops, events, educational formats and cooperation with partners. WP5 deliberately focuses on joint local actions with citizens but also events that are organized across Europe in order to make sustainability more tangible at regional and international level and thus strengthen social impact. This improves existing ties and builds on future collaborations.

Local projects such as”Week of Waste Reduction“ In cooperation with local partners, show how citizen science and education can be implemented in practice for sustainable development. Formats such as ”BioUniversity“ also contribute to citizens being able to take action themselves. With the help of the app, iNaturalist, data on biodiversity on campus is collected and thus encourages research into regional nature. All of these activities contribute to communicating sustainability as a common concern and to strengthening social participation in scientific projects.

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Work package 6 creates the framework to make it easier for students, teachers, researchers and employees within the alliance to have access to international experiences. The work package organizes and promotes various mobility formats, such as teaching and training stays and hybrid study programs (BIPs), and develops communication measures to increase participation in mobilities within the Alliance. Work package 6 aims to increase the mobility rate from the current 3% to 30%.

OVGU significantly supports these activities: The International Office And the Graduate Academy advise and support participants, provide resources and design programs such as Ambassador program, lunch talks or staff weeks. Successful measures such as developing guidelines for Staff Weeks and increasing mobility figures show the growing importance of these activities for Allianz.

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Work Package 7 addresses the central topics of diversity, inclusion and accessibility. The aim is to focus on the needs of underrepresented student groups, such as students with a migrational background, disabilities, financial hurdles and more. As part of the work package existing offers are analysed and, together with others EU GREEN work packages,  teaching and learning formats, as well as measures for greater accessibility on campus are developed and implemented.

Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg is actively involved in several sub-working groups, for example in the area of Diversity & Inclusion, Lifelong Learning as well as at sporting and cultural events. A particular highlight was the international panel discussion on inclusion and diversity in autumn 2025, which took place in hybrid form and brought together participants from science, students and the regional community. The photo competition Limitless: Your perspective on diversity at OVGU as well as the subsequent exhibition made the topic more publicly visible and encouraged dialogue. With these and future projects, EU GREEN aims contribute to a more sustainable and fairer experience for all with work package 7.

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Work Package 8 works to make sustainability and the achievement of sustainability goals an integral part of campus life and identity. It focuses on promoting sustainable behaviors and creating a resilient and sustainable campus and circular society by involving students and employees. In addition, EU GREEN WP 8 wants to pay particular attention to individual health and improving working conditions on the EU GREEN campus.

The OVGU contributes to this with various initiatives: from Kiplin pedometer challenge to promote movement, litter collection and tree planting campaigns, participation in biodiversity projects and EU GREEN canteen weeksthat make sustainable nutrition a reality. The participatory method of working involves the entire university community to makes sustainability visible and bring it to life on Campus.

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