Sustainability

Through its Sustainability focus area, Eucor aims to contribute to the solution of pressing ecological, economic and social issues and to support the creation of a sustainable model region. Against the backdrop of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the member universities have agreed on a multi- and interdisciplinary understanding of the term. Within Eucor's focus areas, "Research, Teaching and Transfer Hubs" (RTTHs) are being established, which is why they are structured into research, teaching and transfer.

Cross-border professorships

• In 2023, a cross-border professorship was established between the University of Strasbourg, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the École nationale du génie de l’eau et de l’environnement de Strasbourg (ENGEES). Its aim is to lead excellent interdisciplinary research on sustainable water management with a focus on the Upper Rhine region.
• Since 2022, there has been a cross-border professorship entitled “Digital Process Engineering for Sustainable Materials and Energy” between Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the University of Haute-Alsace.

Exploratory Workshops

• Researchers can take part in research networking workshops that bring together academics from the Eucor universities to develop joint projects and establish new research consortia. In 2026, two workshops on the themes of "Urban Climate and Sustainable Food" were held, resulting in several new project ideas. Additional workshops on other topics within the focus area can be organized upon request.

Cross-border network

• The Upper Rhine Cluster for Sustainability Research (URCforSR) is a cross-border network working on the theme of Governance of Sustainable Growth. It was founded as part of an Interreg project implemented between 2016 and 2018. All five Eucor universities are involved, as well as other regional partners. A key project of Eucor and URCforSR in 2021–2022 was a feasibility study on the Fessenheim innovation region. The Cluster is currently in a phase of further development and strategic repositioning.

Interreg projects

• The Eucor universities of Strasbourg, Haute-Alsace and Freiburg, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and other partner institutions are working on the development of sustainable value chains for vegetarian meals in canteens and retail in the project Upper Rhine Sustainable Food (2024–2027). The project was prepared within the framework of the Seed Money project “Food democracy” (see below).
• In the AsimutE project (2023–2027), intelligent self-consumption and storage for better use of energy is the focus of research. The Eucor universities of Freiburg, Haute-Alsace and Strasbourg, together with Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, are cooperating with numerous regional partner institutions from academia and industry.
• Supporting companies in the Upper Rhine region in coping with the effects of climate change is the aim of the project Clim'Ability Care (2023–2026). Involved are the Eucor universities of Freiburg, Haute-Alsace and Strasbourg, as well as Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and other regional partners. The project is a continuation of the predecessor projects Clim'Ability Design (2019–2023) and Clim'Ability (2016–2019).
• The project CO2Inno (2022–2025) aims to help develop energy and mobility solutions in order to turn the Upper Rhine region into a carbon-neutral pilot region. Involved are the Eucor universities of Freiburg, Haute-Alsace and Strasbourg, as well as Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and other regional partners. The project builds on the results of the feasibility study on the Fessenheim innovation region.
• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology is working with the universities of Freiburg and Strasbourg, as well as other partners, on the project KliWiReSSE (2022–2025) to develop climate-resilient grape varieties to secure yields.
• The aim of the project WaterPollutionSensor (2019–2023) is to develop and test a continuous and automated system for monitoring the concentration of multiple pollutants in drinking water.
• In the EMPOWER#IoT (2026-2028) project, the universities of Freiburg and Strasbourg are working with further partners to develop solar-powered, self-sufficient sensors for smart cities, in order to make data collection more efficient and sustainable.
• In the VitiSense project (2026-2028), the universities of Haute-Alsace and Strasbourg, together with further partners, are developing wearable sensors and a mobile MRI device for the early detection of grapevine trunk diseases and for improved vineyard monitoring.

Seed Money projects

• Climate change and the growing demand for energy storage systems require the development of sustainable battery systems, which are at the heart of the FuseTheWaste project (2024–2026). The universities of Haute-Alsace and Freiburg are involved.
• The project System Building as Missing Link in Sustainability Transition (2024–2025) focuses on the development, validation and reflection of a framework concept for the Upper Rhine region in relation to the sustainability transition. The universities of Basel, Freiburg and Strasbourg are involved.
• In the project Smart functional sequence-defined oligomers and polymers incorporating rigid cyclodextrin host molecules (2023–2025), the University of Strasbourg is working with Karlsruhe Institute of Technology on environmentally friendly and reusable materials for the development of sustainable water purification systems.
• The project Landscape and sustainable energy transition (2021–2022) involved legal reflection on the integration of landscape into policy in the context of renewable energies. The universities of Freiburg, Haute-Alsace and Strasbourg were involved.
• The project C4-PON (2020–2022) dealt with the environmental behaviour of, in particular, metallic trace elements in the context of the decommissioning of nuclear facilities. The universities of Haute-Alsace and Strasbourg and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology were involved.
• In the project Food democracy and meta-organizations (2020–2022), the universities of Basel, Freiburg, Haute-Alsace and Strasbourg cooperated on the topic of food democracy. The project gave rise to the Interreg project Upper Rhine Sustainable Food (see above).
• In the project deadtrees.earth (since 2025), the universities of Freiburg and Basel are developing an open platform for the digital recording of tree mortality using drones, photogrammetry and AI.
• In the project oberRAIN (since 2025), the universities of Basel, Karlsruhe and Freiburg are investigating how plants modify the influence of rainfall on soil erosion. To do so, they are using rainfall experiments, 3D scans and drone data.

Science dialogue

• Within the Sustainability Working Group, the Eucor universities are in regular exchange with experts from the municipal administrations of their host cities in order to share and further develop best practices in sustainability.
• The Eucor MobiLab Roadshow makes cutting-edge research on sustainability in the Upper Rhine region visible to all. Members of the public have the opportunity to experience “hands-on science” and engage with researchers.