Sustainability is The Future: “Sustainable Media Institute“ Was Founded Recently
Sustainability is not a mere green buzzword: The emerging trend of sustainability which is also one of the main topics at the oncoming drupa 2024 is transforming not only the printing and packaging sectors but also restructuring educational organizations. Responding to the environmental challenges and the changing consumer behaviour, Hochschule der Medien established a brand-new institute on university grounds named “Sustainable Media Institute“.
Sustainability touches all spheres of life, and thus has a great impact on the media industry: film production, IT, print, packaging and communication – to name a few. From conception until distribution, various aspects must be taken into consideration to ensure a long-term and future-oriented sustainable strategy that will make a decisive contribution to environmental protection. As a result, Hochschule der Medien (HdM) based in Stuttgart founded “Sustainable Media Institute” (SUMI) on June 15, 2022 in an effort to raise awareness about sustainability in the media sector. On a side note: In line with green packaging, Hochschule der Medien offers a study course “Packaging Technology” which focuses on the development of sustainable alternative packaging materials.
About “Sustainable Media Institute”
Ten professors who normally lecture on five different study courses, for instance media production management, online media management and engineering mechanics represent the whole body of the newly established “Sustainable Media Institute” and will enrich the view on sustainability from various perspectives. Under their guidance, students as well as brands should turn their attention to developing sustainable thinking and to bearing responsibility as a consumer of raw materials. Furthermore, interdisciplinary projects, international exchange programmes with strong focus on practice and more to come await the students at SUMI.
Prof. Dr. Alexander Roos, Rector of Hochschule der Medien shares his excitement about the newly founded institute:
„Sustainability will also become even more important in the media industry in the future. The founding of SUMI is therefore the right step to draw attention to this relevant range of topics in the industry in order to promote it and to reinforce its integration into research and lecturing at HdM.“
“Sustainable Media Institute” in Connection with drupa
drupa cares deeply about the entire printing industry, and therefore provides a platform for all parties within the printing industry with its trade fair: from print veterans through start-ups to the next generation. The newly founded „Sustainable Media Institute“ sparked our interest as supporters of the younger generation and young talents. With regard to it, it is in our interest to offer the younger generation an opportunity to stand out and make their dreams come true.
Looking back on the past, drupa is proud to have worked on different projects with universities, such as Berliner Hochschule für Technik, Hochschule für Technik, Wirtschaft und Kultur, Hochschule München, Bergische Universität and Hochschule der Medien. With HdM, our cooperation goes way back to 2018, as we launched together the English-language study course “Print Media Technologies” at HdM. The study programme aims to provide young students a practice-oriented training that will prepare them to enter the globalized printing industry.
In our eyes, the future looks bright, as the students at “Sustainable Media Institute” acquire knowledge about sustainability and will integrate it into various branches in an interdisciplinary way. Together, we can develop sustainable printing and packaging solutions and protect the environment in the long run.
