Regensburg's new master's deepening: Future of chemistry make sustainable!

Regensburg's new master's deepening: Future of chemistry make sustainable!

Regensburg, Deutschland - The University of Regensburg (UR) has announced a new deepening in the master's degree in chemistry with a focus on "sustainable chemistry". Loud UniGegensburg.de The program starts in the winter semester 2024/25. The aim of the course is to familiarize students with environmentally friendly and resource -saving chemical processes and prepare them for the challenges of climate change, resource consumption and pollution.

The new deepening will focus on the environmentally friendly design of chemical processes. The urgency of this topic emphasizes Dr. Eva Müller, who points out that sustainable chemical practices are essential for a responsible society. In addition to the main deepening, the UR also plans to offer an additional course of "sustainability" in the 2025 summer semester 2025, which imparts key competencies for transformation processes into more sustainability.

challenges and opportunities of chemistry

like green-chemistry.net explains the chemistry with it both opportunities and dangers for sustainable development. Examples of dangers are accidents and the spread of persistent organic pollutants (pops), while the opportunities are particularly in the area of ​​fabric conversion. In this way, innovative approaches, such as the production of insulating materials for building insulation, can enable significant energy savings within one year.

The requirements for chemists go beyond professional competence. A holistic understanding of optimizing procedures is also crucial. For example, important requirements include the use of energetically favorable reaction conditions and the use of environmentally friendly starting products without endangering efficiency. The Green Chemistry Initiative, which is based on twelve principles, calls for services such as waste avoidance and minimizing the use of auxiliary substances.

global perspectives for sustainable chemistry

At the global level, concepts of the green and sustainable chemistry are becoming increasingly important. The Unep has consulted over 100 experts to develop ten goals and guidelines for green and sustainable chemistry. These goals emphasize the sustainability aspects and support the implementation of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.

A central point is the minimization of chemical dangers and the development of chemicals that have little to no risks. The avoidance of regrettable substitutions, i.e. the replacement of questionable chemicals with sustainable alternatives, is also an important concern. The aim of these approaches is to promote chemical innovations that meet social and ecological requirements.

The introduction of the "Sustainable Chemistry" course at the University of Regensburg is therefore a step in the right direction to prepare the next generation of chemists for the challenges of a changing world. By integrating these topics into an academic curriculum, the university not only makes a contribution to education, but also to responsible for society and the environment.