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Our Nuertingen-Geislingen University (HfWU), situated on the Stuttgart region's outskirts in proximity to the Swabian Alb's scenic landscape, has developed over the past decades into a remarkable University of Applied Sciences. Founded in 1949 as a College for Agricultural Engineering, HfWU became a public University of Applied Sciences in 1972 and offers academic education to more than 5000 students today. Our primary teaching and research focus lies on subject areas within the range of Business & Economics as well as Agriculture & Landscape Planning. In combining these subject areas, we intensely pursue the inter-and transdisciplinary research and teaching of economic, ecological, and societal aspects of Sustainable Development. Nuertingen is located within the greater Stuttgart area, the State Baden-Wuerttemberg's capital, in one of Germany and Europe's most important economic regions. Therefore, we maintain excellent contacts with world-leading companies in Southern Germany, such as Porsche, Mercedes, and BayWa Group. At the University of Applied Sciences, we pursue a hands-on approach and attach great importance to the applicability of research findings and academic knowledge. This is why all our study programs – Bachelor's and Master's – comprise a compulsory practical term or training in cooperation with actors from the economy or civil society. With few being part of an international academic community, our students and researchers contribute to – and benefit from – a worldwide experience and expertise exchange. We value our useful contacts to over 80 partner universities worldwide. International students, staff, and researchers are always welcome at our Nuertingen-Geislingen University! On this website, you will find further information about our university. We hope it allows you to gain a good insight into our university's teaching and research activities and campus life. We would be delighted to welcome you in person at our university shortly! We offer excellent study conditions. The experiences and opinions of our students are essential for us. We seek good cooperation with our students. It's crucial for us that our students gain vital qualifications. Our students remain our students - as alumni. Education and Research are our Strengths. We offer practice-oriented and scientifically based degree programs. Our focus is on applied research. Our professors have released many scientific publications. We are different from other Universities. We are a unique university with individual and unique programs. We are a partner of many businesses in the region. We stand for lifelong learning. Internationalization is essential to us - we have cooperations with many partner universities worldwide. We take on Social Responsibility. We take part in social, cultural, and economic life, especially in Nuertingen and Geislingen. The principles of sustainability are of great importance for us. Research and the transfer of knowledge into the private and public enterprise world are crucial to HfWU. HfWU runs transfer centers for business consulting. The centers offer consulting services and transfer know-how from all our faculties to companies. They support the university's on-going commitment to applied research and development. We are researching the area of sustainability and renewable energies and also include international aspects. Thereby we focus on sustainable management in different corporate functions, compliance and governance, economic questions, and renewable energies. The current focus areas are marketing and acceptance. We work in interdisciplinary cooperation with other NGU institutes. As members of a University of Applied Sciences (HAW), we conduct applied research. We focus on topics of interest to us and society at large and have a clear potential for business application. An international perspective and a solid empirical foundation are essential to us. We are convinced of the power of collaboration and carry out our projects in cooperation with other universities, research institutes, companies, organizations, and others. Overcoming the boundaries between disciplines for us is the basis of new findings. We welcome competition in research and participate in research programs of the federal and state governments. The link between research and teaching is essential to us, so we integrate bachelor and master candidates into our research projects. In cooperation with several universities, we also offer our scientific staff the possibility to graduate their Ph.D. While private persons are the main driver behind the German energy transition ('Energiewende'), companies still face enormous challenges in keeping pace with production patterns, strategies, and energy management. Thus, an enhanced engagement of corporate actors, particularly employees and managers at their workplaces, is needed for a successful energy transition. This is the basis for the research project "enabler"–"employee initiatives for renewable energy". It focuses on citizens who are already taking an active part in the German energy transition by privately switching to green energy providers, installing solar panels on their roofs, or participating in renewable energy initiatives. This private momentum towards renewable energies could potentially propel substantial spill-over effects into the corporate sector. The project investigates if and why citizens limit their engagement to the private sphere or if and under which conditions they also try to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency in their workplaces. Do employers and management support individual initiatives for the energy transition? Or do active employees have to overcome organizational barriers and cope with managerial disapproval? So far, research and practice do not pay sufficient attention to the individual initiative of employees. Therefore, the project analyzes if and how active citizens can transfer their impulses for renewable energy into their workplaces. This so-called 'spill-over effect' could help push companies towards the sustainable energy transition and develop a culture of participation and change. The project takes a closer look at the barriers that potentially hinder the successful implementation of renewable energy projects in companies and other organizations. Based on the findings, the project provides tools and platforms for companies that help to set free and enable employee engagement for renewable energy. View full university