Our research for socio-ecological change thrives on exchange – with science, civil society and practice.

A selection of our network partners:

The Ecological Research Network (Ecornet) is the network of non-university, non-profit environmental and sustainability research institutes in Germany. Together, the Ecornet institutes pursue the goal of creating the scientific foundation for societal transformations towards sustainability. The institutes conduct practical research across the boundaries of scientific disciplines on paths to a post-fossil and post-nuclear society.

In the Ecornet Berlin research network, the IÖW, together with the four Berlin Ecornet institutes, is providing impetus for Berlin's transformation into a social and ecological metropolis.

In 2021, the IÖW joined the Sustainability Development Solution Network SDSN. More than 1.500 institutions from science and practice pool their expertise to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement. Leading German sustainability institutions are involved in the German section (SDSN Germany) and support strategic processes such as the German Sustainability Strategy.

In 1985, the Association for Ecological Economic Research (VÖW, Vereinigung für ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung) was founded together with the IÖW. The VÖW is committed to the interdisciplinary exchange of ecologically interested people from the economic, social, natural and engineering sciences. Its approximately 200 members are active in research and teaching, politics and practice, and take up the challenges of sustainable development.
 

In our transdisciplinary research, we involve young scientists in our practice-oriented projects at an early stage. And we want to incorporate the latest findings from our research directly into teaching. In order to combine the strengths of universities with those of the third-party-funded non-university institute, we have entered into two strategic collaborations.

The Hochschule für Gesellschaftsgestaltung (HfGG) in Koblenz and the IÖW are united by the idea of strengthening an economic science oriented toward common sense and sustainability. To reach this goal, they work together in research and teaching. In addition to their Master's degree, students deepen their knowledge of socio-ecological sustainability issues in IÖW projects and acquire practical research skills.

We work on joint research projects with the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) and acquire third-party funding in cooperative ventures. IÖW research field leader Professor Bernd Hirschl has headed the department of "Management of Regional Energy Supply Structures" at the university since 2012.

Cooperation agreement (in german language) (PDF, 0,4 MB)
 

• of the Network TA, the Network of the German-speaking technology assessment community (Netzwerk der deutschsprachigen Technikfolgenabschätzungs-Community)
• of the Network Reallabs of Sustainability (Netzwerk Reallabore der Nachhaltigkeit)
• of the DeGEval - Evaluation Society (Gesellschaft für Evaluation e.V.)