Combining Human Well-Being and Planetary Health

Climate change is increasingly seen as one of the greatest threats to human health and the well-being of our planet. The Covid 19 pandemic has recently made it particularly clear that an in-depth examination of the challenges at the intersection of environment and health is of particular relevance and urgency. The topics of environment and health must therefore be considered together much more consistently in the future. 

However, the necessity of an intact environment – in the sense of the entire ecosphere as the basis of all life – has so far hardly been discussed in science, politics and the public as a prerequisite for human health and well-being. One of the major challenges in the Anthropocene is therefore not only to focus more on issues of environmental protection and health promotion. It is also of crucial importance to research the interdependencies of these overlapping and sometimes mutually reinforcing challenges and crises more consistently and to develop a new, expanded and integrated understanding of the environment and health.

The KU's Transformation Summer Camp 2025 therefore deliberately focuses on the connection between the environment and health. With this focus, the KU continues its very successful concept established in recent years of addressing precisely those topics involving major challenges of our time that have to date been underrepresented in science and research. In this way, we want to specifically promote the emergence of new, innovative research approaches and actively contribute to successful social development. 

As part of the Transformation Summer Camp 2025, we are focusing on concepts such as well-being, resilience, care, One Health and Planetary Health, many of which contribute to the development of a multi-dimensional, holistic view and an inter- and transdisciplinary understanding of the conditions and factors of human and Planetary Health. The research camp is based on the concept of committed, transformative science that aims to link the claim to scientific knowledge with active shaping of current challenges.

Status quo and specific challenges: 

The existing social and economic systems have not only increased prosperity but have also led to a threat to human livelihoods. Anthropogenic climate change therefore not only poses a risk to the preservation of a habitable planet, but also to the physical, mental and social health of humans. The availability of food, clean water and climate regulation are essential for human existence. At the same time, for example, wasteload, air or noise pollution and extreme weather events such as heavy rain or heat waves have an enormous impact on humans. The resulting burden of disease caused by food and water shortages or the spread of pathogens is very unevenly distributed around the world, but also within European societies: For example, people in the world's 30 least industrialized countries or migrants are particularly vulnerable to health risks (see Schmid/Schwienhorst-Stich 2023). Socially disadvantaged and poor people or people with physical impairments are also noticeably more affected by health risks and burdens. In addition, existing conflict risks, such as competition for resources like land and water, can intensify and cause health problems.

The transformation towards sustainable ways of living and working also requires a deeper examination of issues relating to human health and well-being in order to ensure a future worth living for all humans. It is therefore an essential responsibility of politics and administration to develop an integrated environmental and health policy in collaboration with science. The development of objectives and measures also requires a broad discussion on what is necessary for a “good life” and high-quality healthcare within planetary boundaries, what is meant by a “good life”, how existing problems can be tackled, how healthy lifestyles can be promoted and how the resilience of health and ecosystems can be strengthened. It is important to consider how such a discussion can be made possible in different regional and national contexts. In Germany, for example, an ageing society with increased care needs is emerging, which is also characterized in parts by a new body and fitness cult, health-related self-tracking technologies ('quantified self') and pronounced ideas of enhancement and self-optimization. 

As part of an integrated health and environmental policy, resources and services must not be reserved for certain groups of the population only. Instead, we must ensure socially equitable participation for all people and focus on the protection of vulnerable groups more intensively. This requires, among other things, new efforts to develop cross-sectoral governance as well as the further development of healthcare systems, also by making use of the potential of digitalization and AI, e-health, care technologies and assistance systems. However, caring communities and a social focus on solidarity and mindfulness are also crucial for promoting well-being and the chances of a “good life”. Above all, however, nature plays a key role as an important resource for people's health and well-being.

Therefore, the Transformation Summer Camp 2025 will focus on the following questions:

• How can human and Planetary Health be strengthened and effectively anchored in the social and political agenda, e.g. through new guiding principles? How can we strengthen the resilience of communities in municipalities, improve participatory justice and minimize social inequalities?
• How can we shape the public debate on questions of a “good life” and human well-being? What new forms of governance and incentives are needed, for example, for a prevention policy geared towards the common good? And what synergies and potential are created by merging health and environmental agendas?
• How are new technologies, digitalization and AI as well as enhancement and self-optimization approaches changing our healthcare systems and care relationships? How can they be ethically reflected upon and their potential be used to improve the health and well-being of people and the planet alike?
• What partnerships will be necessary in the future to maintain human and Planetary Health, e.g. the strategic involvement of health experts in climate protection planning processes? What role does science play in opening up new development paths for a healthy life on a healthy planet?
• What forms of science communication, participation and co-creation are needed for the social transformation of health and sustainability? And how can vulnerable groups of the population be considered and involved in a special, intensified way?
• What specific ethical conflicts and debates regarding a “good” and healthy life can be identified in different social contexts?

Your application portfolio consist of three documents:

1) Résumé, 2) proof of academic achievement and 3) a one-page idea sketch.

• In the one-page idea outline, please explain your professional and personal interest in participating in the Summer Camp. To do this, you should clearly highlight your connection to the topics of the Transformation Summer Camp and explain which research idea you would like to develop further as part of the camp.
• Being a committed University, we attach great importance to personal commitment: We are therefore particularly looking for young people who are actively committed to a sustainable social development beyond their academic interests. Please tell us why sustainable and diverse development of our societies is important to you and how you are committed to this.

If you have any questions about this, please do not hesitate to contact us!

Please send all application documents as a PDF document by April 21, 2025 to

Dr. Thomas Metten: tsc(at)ku.de 

Participants are selected by a selection committee shortly after the submission deadline. The committee consists of a group of researchers who are actively involved in the Transformation Summer Camp.

The basis for selection is a list of criteria that takes into account in particular the subject-related suitability, academic performance, the originality of the idea presented and your personal commitment.

Researchers from the fields of sociology, health and nursing science, medicine, psychology and education, geography, sustainability science, philosophy and ethics are involved. They will present current findings at the intersection of health, well-being and climate protection and present future issues and challenges from their own research. Subsequent discussion rounds allow participants to further develop their own research ideas in a targeted manner through personal exchange.

The main topics of the camp are:

• Climate crisis & Well-being
• Sustainable living and natural spaces
• The future and digitalization of care
• Enhancement & medical ethics
• Prevention & healthy regions
• Lifestyles & social justice

The development of innovative approaches and new ideas during the camp is based on the Design Thinking method. Our aim is to promote the creativity and independence of all participants in order to develop innovative research ideas in a targeted manner. At the end, these are presented in the form of a scientific poster.

Today, research for sustainable development is only possible with the active participation of people from the field. In exchange with partner organizations, all participants can experience how active cooperation with citizens, municipalities or companies can be shaped.

The supporting program provides an opportunity for networking and community building in order to intensify personal encounters and exchanges between all participants. Get to know the Ingolstadt region – be it through a shared breakfast, a barbecue evening or during a company visit.

All participants will be accommodated together in a hotel in the city center of Ingolstadt. From there, it is only a short walk to the lecture and workshop rooms at the Ingolstadt School of Management (WFI) and to the KU's new Future Campus.

The new campus is located in the middle of the pedestrian zone and includes the historic buildings of the first state university of Bavaria (1472-1800). In addition to the Mathematical Institute for Machine Learning and Data Science, the new Faculty of Transformation and Sustainability is also located there.

Participants arrive one day before the start of the program, on September 14. The Research Summer Camp program starts on September 15, at 8.30 a.m. and ends on 2 p.m. on Friday, September 19. Participants depart on this day after a joint lunch.

Breakfast will be provided daily at the hotel. During the event, all participants will be catered for during breaks and lunch. In the evenings, catering will vary depending on the occasion (e.g. barbecue evening on the city beach, reception at the Ingolstadt School of Management).

Accommodation and travel costs will be covered by the Catholic University.