The University Program at CampusAckerdemie
Out of the lecture halls, and onto the fields!
The CampusAckerdemie pilot project aims at integrating ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) into teacher education. Participants acquire the complete set of farming skills required for effective teaching of an in-school gardening class, including planting, cultivation, and usage of up to 30 varieties of vegetables. The practical sessions are supplemented with workshops exploring teaching methods for ESD. The project will be training its first group of students in summer semester 2022.
CampusAckerdemie: Vermitteln, woher unser Gemüse stammt
Greater appreciation for nature and food
12 million tons of food are thrown away every year in Germany. Half of that by private households. The constant availability of food makes it easier for us to waste it. The CampusAckerdemie program hopes to change that. It provides a hands-on education into just how much work goes into a bundle of carrots. Teachers-in-training can later pass on their own experiences to their pupils through an in-school gardening class.
“We teach sustainability—with hands in the dirt, not a raised pointer finger.”
Dr. Christoph Schmitz, Founder & Chairperson of the Executive Committee at Acker e.V.
Working Together for Sustainability
The CampusAckerdemie is a joint pilot project between the University of Bonn, Acker e.V. and the NEiS project (Verbaucherzentrale NRW), with friendly support from the Am Zehnhoff-Söns Group.
Acker e.V. has already received many awards for its commitment to the field of ESD—including a 2019 commendation from the federal government entitled “Too Good to for the Bin!". The award from the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture honors special initiatives that help reduce waste of foodstuffs
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universities participating in the CampusAckerdemie
2021
Commendation as one of the 100 Most Innovative Ideas in Education, Research & Science
2022
Establishment of a campus field at the University of Bonn