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Leuphana is a young university that emphasizes innovation rather than tradition. It is continuously aspiring to create a space stimulated by a collective search for knowledge and sustainable solutions. This is already true of its courses of studies. Leuphana established Germany's first public college. Its Graduate School merges masters and doctorates' academic demands, and its own Professional School offers highly regarded further education programs. Every course of study is built on a holistic approach. Not subjects, but socially relevant issues occupy the foreground. This means engaging in the different scientific approaches from day one. Leuphana's four scientific initiatives make it possible to incorporate sound specialist knowledge into a more general higher education discourse and enable the University to research issues rather than disciplines. Involving non-university practical experience from the outset is an essential part of our academic culture. The Leuphana University of Lüneburg bases its development on an all-encompassing idea of education and the content and value-oriented implementation of its activities. The University sees itself as a In its understanding of education, Leuphana combines personal and academic development while placing the process of acquiring knowledge into a concrete context. Through its education and research, Leuphana contributes to the sustainable development of society. Leuphana fosters competencies in dealing with complexity, problem-solving in an interdisciplinary manner, engaging in responsible and self-directed learning, developing readiness, and willingness to take on social responsibility or sustainably shaping the future. Leuphana fosters responsible and proactive individuals who demonstrate creativity and thoughtfulness and the willingness and ability to shape society creatively. Leuphana contributes significantly to social problems through research, education, continuing education, and academic services. The University is called the Leuphana University of Lüneburg. What hides behind the name? In the second century A.D., the Greek scholar Claudius Ptolemy created a detailed map of the world as it was known and called it Geographiké Hyphégesis. This "geographical manual" was a masterpiece. Even centuries later, it was still regarded as the standard reference work for geography – and it also served as the source of the latitudes as used today in this standard reference work that the name of Leuphana – a settlement in northern Germania near the lower reaches of the Elbe River – was first mentioned. Eventually, Leuphana was identified as the city of Lüneburg in the second edition of Johann Georg Theodor Gräss' index of the most essential Latin place and country names dated 1909. Given that the Ptolemaic atlas was composed nearly a thousand years before the city of Lüneburg was founded, this allocation is not entirely uncontroversial. Today, even the most accurate maps from the time of the Roman Empire do not meet modern standards of accuracy. Thus, Leuphana and Lüneburg are the case with so many things in science – not hard evidence but remains a hypothesis. The opportunities to explore the world were much more restricted at Ptolemy's time than they are today. Nevertheless, this could not Ptolemy from using what he knew of the world to construct well-grounded theories. The Ptolemaic world view dominated the thinking of humanity for more than a thousand years. Today we know better: In the sixteenth century, Copernicus corrected the Ptolemaic model by placing the sun rather than the earth at the center of our planetary system. Nevertheless, the precision of Ptolemy's calculations of the motion of the planets remained unequaled for nearly 100 years later. Even today, the passion and curiosity that once distinguished Ptolemy remain essential prerequisites for engaged scholarship – along with the willingness to learn, question established knowledge, test it critically, and develop it further. By its name of Leuphana, the University of Lüneburg feels firmly committed to the searching spirit of research and studying. The Leuphana University of Lüneburg has undertaken to enlist education, research, and knowledge transfer to contribute to sustainable development in 21st-century civil society. Climate change ranks among the most urgent problems our society faces. That is why scientists in Lüneburg are investigating and working on innovative concepts to minimize greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. The findings concerning the threat of climate change are discussed in teaching and research – but they are also reflected in everyday life here at the University. In 2007, Leuphana set itself the goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2012. By all indications, this goal will be reached by the end of 2014. The delay owes to incorporating the new, energy-optimized main building and, associated with this, the investigation of new technological products, an integral research project for optimizing existing buildings, and the binding terms of a heat-supply contract in effect through the end of 2014. All locations at Leuphana have purchased 100 percent green electricity since January 2012. This is an essential step towards the path to becoming a climate-neutral university. Further measures, implemented and in planning, in furtherance of the goal of climate-neutrality at Leuphana. View full university