Being able to analyse spatial information in modern spatial data infrastructures is a key skill in many specialist areas. This seminar provides a sound introduction to the architecture, implementation and utilisation of spatial data infrastructures.
The course covers not only the conceptual foundations, but also the technical tools and processes required for their development and implementation. In addition, the legal framework and relevant standards will be analysed.
Special emphasis is placed on practical approaches to the development and management of spatial data infrastructures at regional, national and international level. The seminar combines theoretical principles with practical case studies and promotes the application of the content in individual projects. The aim is to prepare participants for the challenges and potential in this area and to equip them with the necessary skills for independent work with spatial data infrastructures.

The course teaches practical applications with various software solutions such as ArcGIS Online for story maps and dashboards, QGIS for geospatial web services, OpenEO and Jupyter Notebooks for processing satellite data and Docker for the provision and scaling of GIS applications.

The course is designed as a supervised, asynchronous self-study course. The course content is provided via the Moodle learning management system of the Ruhr University Bochum. Participants work on the content independently and then upload the results to the platform. The lecturers are available during the course to answer technical and content-related questions. Kick-off and finalisation will take place in person.

Will be announced in the seminar.

Worldwide trade interdependencies, the genesis and structure of global city and company networks, the interdependencies of so-called industrialised and developing countries as well as the topic of globalisation embedded in current geopolitical distortions are always linked to spatially related or spatially effective questions. Regional disparities and differentiations are correspondingly spatially effective manifestations of these structures, functions and processes. In the lecture World Economic Geography, these topics are taken up, discussed and analysed in order to expand the economic-social science dimension of a globally interacting world economy by the spatial perspective.
The lecture is integrated into the teaching programme of the Institute of Geography, in particular the Chair of Economic Geography. Accordingly, the economic geographic - thus (economic) spatial - perspective is at the centre of the scientific consideration. 
In addition to the causes, manifestations and dynamics of globalisation, the spatial impacts such as the formation of transnational economic blocs, global supply chains and production networks, or the dissolution and relocation of production complexes, as well as the role of so-called global players and global sourcing, are also addressed. Thematic fields of application come from the areas of raw materials, agriculture, industry and services, including finance and tourism. In addition, overarching cross-cutting fields such as geographical sustainability, environmental and development research, geopolitical conflicts and specific types of space, e.g. from the Global South, are addressed. Regional examples are used to illustrate the topics.

Module: Lecture + Seminar

Preliminary discussion of ALL seminars at the end of the lecture on 12.05.2026. The dates of the block seminars will also be determined there.

In addition to the presentation topics, the dates for the block seminars will also be finalised during the preliminary seminar discussions. 
Attendance is compulsory without exception! 
Scope of work in the seminars: active participation, presentation & handout, term paper depending on the degree programme; further details will be provided in the respective preliminary discussions.

Bachelor students of Business Administration, Economics and Geography (RUB) take part in the compulsory block seminar (‘Special Topics of WorldWiGeo’) by Mr Lotz.

The block seminar (module consisting of lecture and seminar: 6 CP) by Prof. Juchelka, which focuses specifically on issues relating to the global economic-geographical dimensions of logistics, is compulsory for Master's students of Technical Logistics.

In addition to the lecture, Master's students of Socioeconomics can also attend the seminar ‘Geographical Development Research’ offered by Mr Schulte-Derne. It is not possible to attend the seminar alone without attending the lecture.

Students of the Master's programme International Relations and Development Policy (IBEP) can attend Mr Schulte-Derne's seminar ‘Geographical Development Research’ as part of the practical module (3 CP) WITHOUT attending the lecture. However, attendance of the lecture is strongly recommended in order to build up a scientific basis and in connection with the seminar.

Students on the Globalisation and Migration Master's course can also attend the seminar ‘Geographical Development Research’ offered by Mr Schulte-Derne in addition to the lecture. It is not possible to attend the seminar alone without attending the lecture.

Lecture plan:

20.04.2026 1.Introduction, concept & organisation of the lecture
                        Basics of a world economic geography

27.04.2026 2. globalisation and space: term, preconditions, processes, effects

05.05.2026 3. theoretical approaches and concepts of a world economic geography
                     
12.05.2026 4. world trade: spatial interdependencies, embeddings, implications
                         Seminar discussion at the end of the lecture

19.05.2026 5. ‘Global governance’ perspective: role of politics and spatial effectiveness

26.05.2026      Whitsun holidays: no lecture

02.06.2026 6.Perspective I: Raw materials and energy - disparities between global supply and demand

09.06.2026 7.Perspective II: Agriculture between globalisation and regionalisation

16.06.2026 8.Perspective III: Industry - Locations, regional dynamics and networks

23.06.2026 9.Perspective IV: Services: Trade, logistics, finance and tourism in a global spatial context

30.06.2026 10.Global Problem Areas & Space I: Geographical Development Research and Perspectives on the Integration of the so-called Global South

07.07.2026 11.Global Problem Areas & Space II: Environment and Sustainability

14.07.2026 12.Global Problem Areas & Space III: Wars, Crime, Terrorism, Geopolitics

21.07.2026 13th closed session (12.15-13.15)

Seminar programme for the lecture:

Programme Seminar Management
BA BWL compulsory (module) M.A.-Geogr. Steffen Lotz: Block seminar: Special topics in world economic geography
BA VWL Compulsory (module) M.A.-Geogr. Steffen Lotz: Block seminar: Special topics in world economic geography
BA/BSc Geography (RUB) Compulsory (module) M.A.-Geogr. Steffen Lotz: Block seminar: Special topics in world economic geography

MSc TLog recommended Prof. Rudolf Juchelka: Block seminar especially for TLog

MA Socioeconomics see below Dipl.-Geogr. Friedrich Schulte-Derne: Block seminar: Geographical Development Research
MA IBEP see below Dipl.-Geogr. Friedrich Schulte-Derne: Block seminar: Geographical Development Research
MA Globalisation + Migration see below Dipl.-Geogr. Friedrich Schulte-Derne: Block seminar: Geographical Development Research

References will follow in the lecture.

„Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.“ (Benjamin Franklin)

With this in mind, the seminar will not only focus on acquiring knowledge, but also on applying it both independently and collaboratively. The emphasis is on group work: under the intensive supervision of the lecturer, participants will work together to develop their own insights into the universities and the start-up scene in Bochum and the Ruhr region. The analyses and ideas gained and the recommendations for action derived from them will then be presented to practitioners.
So try your hand at being a consultant and, based on analyses and discussions, develop proposals and future concepts for science and start-ups in your region!

Last but not least: Why are you, as a geographer, particularly well suited to advising regions, cities, or universities? This seminar provides answers to these questions.

You will acquire:

• Knowledge of the German science system
• Knowledge of business start-up processes
• Knowledge of the connections between science, business, and the region
• The ability to independently conduct analyses and derive fields of action and ideas
• The ability to apply the skills learned during your studies to practical examples

Universities can play a central role in (knowledge-intensive and innovative) start-ups by imparting skills, promoting talent, and providing research results. Through start-up consulting, incubators, and networks, they support students, researchers, and external partners in developing viable business models from ideas and bringing them to market in a sustainable manner.

The main topics covered in the seminar are:

• How does the science system and higher education work in Germany?
• What does starting a business involve?
• How can universities support young companies?
• How does consulting work?
• How can I put the methods I have learned into practice and independently develop recommendations for action within a team?

1. Expectations, getting to know each other, structure of the seminar, introduction to the topic (Adler)
2. Significance and function of scientific institutions / 
3. Work phase 
4. Presentation of short presentations (students)
5. Presentation of short presentations (students)
6. Joint development of a work assignment and selection of regions and companies
7. Concrete analysis approaches, possible formats, quantitative and qualitative approaches, interviews (Adler)
8. Creative, moderated work phase; analysis 
9. Creative, moderated work phase; analysis
10. Presentation, discussion, and further development of the results
11. Presentation, discussion, and further development of the results
12. Joint finalization of the results
13. Presentation and discussion; presentation to representatives from the field
14. Review of the discussions and results; review of the seminar's approach and results, lessons learned; mutual feedback
     

Will be announced in the seminar.

• Learning about current lighting practice, the environmental impact of light, and lighting conflicts
• Basic introduction to nighttime light satellite data
• Independent study of geographic differences in light emissions
• Further experience with GIS systems

The course makes use of the night and the way it is artificially lit by humans as an “interdisciplinary object”. Concepts from physical geography, human geography, and geomatics will be brought together with additional information from ecology, vision science, and lighting practice and technology. Individual themes covered during the course include:

• Night climate
• Human vision and the history of outdoor lighting
• Current lighting applications and technology
• Lighting conflicts
• Light pollution and darkness conservation
• Geographical patterns of light use in Germany
• Night lights instruments and data
• Night lights remote sensing

The seminar will take place weekly and will start with an introductory lecture. During the first part of the course, homework will include some independent night fieldwork to learn about and document lights. As the course progresses, students will select two German regions with differing per capita light outputs and will try to explain the reasons for the differences based on various sources of geodata. Towards the end of the semester, each student will present their findings to the class (Studienleistung), and the students work will be graded based on a portfolio built up gradually over the term. The class will be interactive, and students will regularly share elements of their developing portfolio with the rest of the class.

• Kyba, C., Garz, S., Kuechly, H., De Miguel, A. S., Zamorano, J., Fischer, J., & Hölker, F. (2015). High-resolution imagery of earth at night: New sources, opportunities and challenges. Remote Sensing, 7(1), 1-23
• Pritchard, S. B. (2017). The trouble with darkness: NASA’s Suomi satellite images of Earth at night. Environmental History, 22, 312-330
• Meier, J. M. (2018). Contentious light: an analytical framework for lighting conflicts. International Journal of Sustainable Lighting, 20(2), 62-77.
• Team Nachtlichter (2025). Citizen science illuminates the nature of city lights. Nature Cities 2, 496–505
• Pease, B. S., & Gilbert, N. A. (2025). Light pollution prolongs avian activity. Science, 389(6762), 818-821.
• Radiance Light Trends: https://lighttrends.lightpollutionmap.info
• ALAN Literature Database: https://www.zotero.org/groups/2913367/alan_db/

• Acquisition of transdisciplinary knowledge about the theoretical foundations of qualitative audio-visual research methodology
• Development of scientific, technical, artistic, communicative and organisational skills for planning, conducting and evaluating video-based interviews and observations in the context of urban transformation
• Documentation and reflection in the form of an ePortfolio as an examination requirement

This transdisciplinary seminar introduces students to the fundamentals of qualitative spatial research by critically exploring the potential and challenges of audio-visual methods in human geography. In light of the increasing significance of visual media in academic and societal contexts, the seminar examines how videography can function as a tool for documenting and as an instrument for generating situated, reflexive and participatory knowledge about urban change. Methodologically, the seminar is grounded in an ethnographic understanding of social practices and ongoing spatial production. It draws on current debates in social and audio-visual geography, as well as approaches to audio-visual ethnography. Attention is also given to the differences between human visual perception and the technical capabilities of cameras. Visual media do not merely reproduce what the eye sees, but actively transform spatial impressions through framing, exposure, lens characteristics and temporal sequencing. This creates distinctive modes of representation and opens up alternative analytical insights into urban processes.

Students will engage with video-based interviews, observational techniques, and visual modes of communication to develop competencies in methodology, technology, artistry, and communication. A key part of the course involves applying these methods experimentally within an urban development project in the Ruhr region, which has yet to be defined. Students will work on a research question of their own choosing, using audio-visual methods to investigate spatial practices, document their findings, and reflect on their methodological choices in an ePortfolio. Particular emphasis is placed on research ethics, representation, positionality and consent (especially when working in public spaces), thereby encouraging a critically informed and collaborative approach to visual enquiry. This structure gives Bachelor's students an early opportunity to gain transdisciplinary research experience in urban development and experiment with innovative qualitative methods. 

The course is taught jointly by Markus Gornik, a doctoral researcher at the Institute of Geography at Ruhr University Bochum and a freelance project manager, and Ole-Kristian Heyer, a freelance videographer and board member of Insane Urban Cowboys e.V., who have extensive experience of collaborating on creative urban transformation projects such as Creative City Oberhausen, Transurban and Transformation Talks.

1. ​​Mandatory preliminary meeting (date to be arranged with participants): seminar structure, e-portfolio as examination requirement, introduction to the study areas, assignment of a semester-long task
2. During the semester: one city walk in the yet-to-be-determined study area in the Ruhr region
3. Block Day 1, 07 September 2026, 10 am–3 pm: Qualitatively exploring spaces through audio-visual methods – theoretical introduction, scientific communication, and research ethics (with support from external experts)
4. Block Day 2, 08 September 2026, 10 am–3 pm: Methodological introduction to audio-visual interviews (speaking & narration) and ethnography (observing & experiencing)
5. Block Day 3, 09 September 2026, 10 am–3 pm: Technical introduction and exercises in qualitative data collection using photography and video (with support from external experts)
6. Block Day 4, 10 September 2026, 10 am–3 pm: Technical introduction and exercises in the qualitative analysis of photos and videos (with support from external experts)
7. Block Day 5, 11 September 2026, 10 am–3 pm: Engagement with the study area, development of a research framework, collective planning of independent fieldwork
8. 12 September–11 October 2026: Independent data collection and analysis phase, as well as preparation of the e-portfolio
9. Mandatory final meeting (expected November 2026): on-site presentation of results

• Layer, Y. N. (2025). Geography crosses media: An approach for multi-skilling students in higher education. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 49(1), 36–56. https://doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2024.2338113 
• Example of the e-portfolio as examination format:
•  Project study 2021 on living with tourism in the Black Forest, M.Sc. Geography of Global Change, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg.https://www.huge.geographie.uni-freiburg.de/projektstudien/schwarzwald2021/

The research workshop at the GI is intended to enable students to work on research projects both individually and in small groups, not bound to a specific seminar, or to initiate their own small projects outside of a project seminar. The projects can be carried out in a wide variety of subject areas, can be regional or international, purely geographical but preferably interdisciplinary.
Involving students in research practice as early as possible offers them both a broader and deeper horizon of learning and experience, which will have a positive effect on the choice of a topic for their Master's thesis as well as their later career decision. Practising self-organisation, independent work and the assumption of responsibility are important goals that should lead to greater motivation and a stronger commitment to their studies and geography.

The content can be requested individually from other lecturers.

Andreas Pflitsch:

For the summer term 2026, I am offering the following topics and locations:

Alaska

As part of research in the glacier caves and former copper mines of Kennekott/McCarthy in Wrangell St. Elias National Park in Alaska, a 12-day research trip will be conducted (planned for 23.09. to 04.10.2026). Up to seven students can participate in this trip.

The expedition will focus on recording various climatological parameters such as air and surface temperature and air currents in glacier caves and in the frozen copper mines of Kennecott/McCarthy.

The trip has a certain adventurous character. The research work is quite strenuous, as we sometimes have to hike for several hours to reach the study sites. We are accommodated in tents, without much comfort. We will reach one of the research sites by small plane, where we will then stay for a few days. At least there is a simple hut with a stove, so we can warm up in the evening and dry our wet clothes. In addition, you should be prepared for outhouses and washing in glacier water. However, there is hardly a better way to experience the breathtaking landscapes and glaciers of Alaska.

The cost will be approximately €1,100 to €1,300 (excluding flights to the USA but including flights within Alaska).

Dechenhöhle Iserlohn and other topics:

On individual request

If you have any further questions, please contact me by e-mail (andreas.pflitsch@rub.de).

If you are interested, please contact the respective lecturer personally and discuss the further procedure individually.

Will be announced by the lecturers.

• Students gain an overview of soils and biodiversity in urban and private gardens.
• Students learn how ecological data can be collected in gardens (practical monitoring methods).
• Students learn how social science data relating to gardens can be collected (interviews, use of gardens).
• Linking social aspects with ecological data
• Promoting independent planning, implementation, and evaluation of scientific observations
• Presentation of results and scientific reflection in term papers

• Introduction and background information on (1) the importance of gardens as habitats for plants, insects, birds, and mammals, (2) measures to promote biodiversity in gardens, (3) soils at the interface between nutrient cycles and crops, and (4) the use of gardens by humans in a social and ecological context.
• Methodological basics: (1) Recording birds (e.g., with Merlin Bird ID or classic bird watching), (2) Recording mammals (wildlife cameras, sightings), (3) Insect monitoring (e.g., colorful bowls, observation, identification), (4) Plant inventory (flowering plants, grasses, shrubs), (5) Recording soil quality and possible impairments, (6) Interviews with garden owners about use, perception, maintenance, and biodiversity measures, and (7) Conducting a larger online survey on biodiversity and garden use.
• Data preparation and evaluation: Consolidation of the data collected from all groups. Analysis of patterns, frequencies, and correlations between use and biodiversity. Visualization of the results (tables, diagrams).

• Introduction to biodiversity and soils in gardens, social aspects, and monitoring methods, as well as presentation of the planned survey methods.
• Independent data collection in gardens: Students independently plan when and how they will observe/record specific species groups, soil aspects, and social aspects, and create corresponding protocols.
• Data consolidation and analysis: Preparation of the collected data; discussion of trends and special features.
• Presentation of results: Groups present their topic-related data and findings.
•  Each student writes a scientific paper that links two topic areas (e.g., “Soils & Plants,” “Interviews & Mammals”).

Will be announced in the seminar

For years, inner-city development has been the magic word for the sustainable transformation of our cities. For some time now, it has been burdened with three requirements that are not exactly free of conflict with each other:
structural densification, upgrading of blue-green infrastructure, and solving mobility issues. It is intended to prevent the further sprawl of cities into the surrounding areas and at the same time enable growth processes
in an environmentally friendly manner.

Numerous crises and disasters await effective responses. Calls for help quickly resound through the lowest level of government, the cities, especially the large cities. Close to the citizens and with the most direct access to
implementation tools, they seem to be the most important authority for conflict resolution. Yet the current situation could hardly be more difficult: the power of state institutions and trust in their ability to find solutions are dwindling. The great
promises of modernity for everlasting progress and the welfare effects of comprehensive universalization and standardization have evaporated. Deep social uncertainties and the waning power of institutions are coupled with ecological,
economic, and social crises, presenting cities with new challenges, especially now. The Basic Law does not grant German municipalities any binding right to comprehensive capacity to act, but they are allowed to independently control their development through planning authority. They make use of this in a variety of ways and try to use their respective talents and opportunities as effectively as possible to overcome problems and further their development. The primacy of internal development is both a requirement and an obstacle for all of them.

The central learning objective of studying the topic of inner development lies in recognizing the “sandwich situation” of cities between model-oriented requirements and the rather restorative or at least status-preserving expectations of the urban population, as well as the difficulties of finding the right planning approaches in order to be able to act in a highly complex situation with conflicting requirements. By examining the approaches taken by selected cities, students recognize the multi-complexity of planning. They
can apply and practice what they have learned so far and expand their knowledge with new aspects. 

The seminar will examine the four dimensions of inner-city development: space, actors, processes, and tools, using selected large cities and their activities as examples. The focus will be on the planning content, the practicability and impact of the selected approaches and courses of action, and the question of what generalizable perspectives they offer. Further questions will address the respective starting points and conceptual approaches to sensibly bundling the problems, as well as the choice of means for accomplishing the tasks at hand. To this end, the formal and informal planning instruments and the activities of the actors involved, as well as political and private decision-makers, are considered with the aim of determining how sustainable and ambitious development can be systematically led to success within the given time frame and with the available methodological, legal, and financial resources.

• The first, brief step involves analyzing selected tasks of varying content, large and small, from the field of inner development.
• In the second step, students gain access to current and diverse case studies from interviews with municipal representatives from the fields of urban, mobility, and environmental planning, contributing their insights gained during internships and from studying the literature. A few key questions quickly reveal the approaches taken in inner-city development planning, such as: What tasks, main and sub-goals, and priorities do cities use to tackle inner-city development? What strategies do cities use to overcome their respective challenges? Can success factors be derived from the wide variety of approaches, and for which issues are they particularly suitable? 
• The next step is to develop generally applicable strategies and approaches for a wide variety of problems and objectives. To this end, individual work steps are to be identified and underpinned with the necessary resources on a timeline.
• In the final step, the results will be critically evaluated and an answer will be formulated to the question of whether and to what extent cities can successfully overcome the current challenges of inner development.

• Altrock, Uwe 2018: Stadterneuerung. In: ARL- Akademie für Raumforschung und Landesplanung (Hrsg.): Handwörterbuch der Stadt- und Regionalentwicklung. Hannover
• Becker, Heidede / Sander, Robert / Jessen, Johann (Hrsg.) 1999: Ohne Leitbild? Stuttgart.
• Bundesamt für Naturschutz (2017): Doppelte Innenentwicklung – Perspektiven für das urbane Grün. Bonn.
• BMUB – Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz, Bau und Reaktorsicherheit (Hrsg.) (2015): Grün in der Stadt – Für eine lebenswerte Zukunft. Grünbuch Stadtgrün. Berlin.
• Kegler, Harald 2021: Resilienz. Strategien und Perspektiven für die widerstandsfähige und lernende Stadt. Braunschweig
• Reinke, Markus (2016): Doppelte Innenentwicklung – Wie soll das gehen? In: Meinel, G. / Schwarz, S. / Krüger, T. (Hrsg.): Flächenmonitoring VIII. Flächensparen – Ökosystemleistung – Handlungsstrategien. Berlin.
• Umweltbundesamt (Hrsg.) 2022: Dreifache Innenentwicklung. Definition, Aufgabe und Chancen für eine umweltorientierte Stadtentwicklung.
• Publikationen von verschiedenen deutschen Großstädten. Besichtigungen, Interviews sowie Teilnahme an Diskussionen und Veranstaltungen

Further references/sources/notes will follow at the start of the seminar.

This seminar provides an insight into various assessment methods for watercourses and floodplains. Water quality can be assessed according to geomorphological, chemical, and biological parameters. Floodplains can also be assessed using various parameters. Assessment methods for watercourses are based on the concept of watercourse landscapes and the watercourse types derived from them. In the elective module, these various methods and their conceptual foundations are explored. Legal foundations such as the EU Water Framework Directive and the Ordinance on the Protection of Surface Waters, as well as the Nature Restoration Law and the National Water Strategy, are also discussed.
Hydrochemical and biological investigations as well as water structure quality mapping are applied in the field and in the laboratory. Furthermore, the principle of floodplain mapping is also applied in practice. Special requests from students can be taken into account within the scope of the topic. 

The elective module is conducted as a seminar, supplemented by field exercises and laboratory investigations in small groups by arrangement. 

Will be announced in the preliminary meeting.

In many geographical professions, working with geodata is not limited to the use of geoinformation systems in the office and existing geodata. Numerous fields of activity - for example in agriculture, biotope and nature conservation, cadastral administration or infrastructure management - also include work in the field, the success of which depends on the precise recording of up-to-date field data.

UAVs (drones) make it possible to record the condition of the terrain efficiently and with maximum up-to-dateness - also in three dimensions - and thus provide information to supplement and update existing geodata or to create highly up-to-date terrain and object views and plans.

The aim of the seminar is to provide a first introduction to the world of remote sensing with drones in the field and to give an overview of the basic possibilities of this methodology. The various aspects of capturing geodata using UAVs will be examined by the students in presentation form and finally tested and presented using their own exemplary field work.

Relevant basics as well as hardware and software solutions for remote sensing with drones in the field, e.g.

• UAVs
• flight planning
• Satellite positioning (GNSS)
• Evaluation software
• Fields of application
• etc.

Conception and execution of an exemplary field work using the techniques learned.

Further content may be added as the course progresses.

Will be announced in the seminar.

The course aims to introduce some of the main critical perspectives in the fields of cultural and development studies, as well as urban and regional planning in the context of geography and spatial sciences.The students will familiarize themselves with authors and theories that challenge the hegemonic view, or that inspired and supported the emergence of counter-narratives. The final outcome of the course is to enable students to produce and reflect critically on spatial creation through the production of counter cartographies, informed by the discussions conducted during the classes. 

The course is divided into blocks focused on specific themes that will be covered during the sessions.

The themes will be discussed based on academic and non-academic texts, and personal experiences will be encouraged to be shared during dynamic talks. 

The themes that will guide the sessions are:

• Systems Theory / Systemic Thinking
• Critical Spatial Theories
• Political Ecology
• Globalization(s) and Developments
• Power and space
• Gender, ethnicity, and the non-hegemonic being.

The seminar structure is based on presentations, readings, collective discussions, and practical application of the concepts.

Every session will have an introduction presenting the topic, followed by students' presentations and discussions guided by the guiding texts.

Based on the topics raised during the discussions and personal experiences, in groups, the students will develop a final project that consists of a counter-cartography of a freely elected topic. Specific sessions will be scheduled to present the project's development and to receive input from other participants.

This is a suggested list; other supplementary readings will be given before the sessions.

Introduction

Website: https://geoactivismo.org/

Berg, L. D., Best, U., Gilmartin, M., & Larsen, H. G. (2021). Introduction: Placing critical geographies. In L. D. Berg, U. Best, M. Gilmartin, & H. G. Larsen (Eds.), Placing Critical Geography: Historical Geographies of Critical Geography (pp. 1-8). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315600635-1

Systems Theory / Systemic Thinking

Meadows, Donella H. (2015). "Thinking in Systems". White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing.

Website: https://donellameadows.org/

Costa, J. (2023). Chapter 1 – Niklas Luhmann’s Social Systems Theory – Concepts. In Health as a Social System: Luhmann's Theory Applied to Health Systems. An Introduction (pp. 27-52). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783839466933-003

Critical Spatial Theories

Neil Brenner and Nikos Katsikis, (2020). "Operational landscapes: hinterlands of the capitalocene," Architectural Design / AD 90, no. 1: 22-31.

Ajl, M. (2014). The Hypertrophic City vs The Planet of Fields. 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331802340_The_Hypertrophic_City_vs_The_Planet_of_Fields

Schmid, Christian. (2013). "Networks, Borders, Differences: Towards a Theory of the Urban" In Implosions /Explosions: Towards a Study of Planetary Urbanization edited by Neil Brenner, 67-81. Berlin, Boston: JOVIS. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783868598933-005

Political Ecology 

Robbins, Paul. (2012). Political Ecology: A Critical Introduction, Second Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Glassman, J. (2006). Primitive accumulation, accumulation by dispossession, accumulation by ‘extra-economic’ means. Progress in Human Geography, 30(5), 608-625.

Harvey, David. (2009). The new Imperialism. Accumulation by dispossession. Vol. 40: Socialist Register

Movie: Total Recall (1990) Dir. Verhoeven, Paul.

Website: https://www.situatedecologies.net/films/

Globalizations and Development

Hickel, Jason. (2015). https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/sep/23/developing-poor-countries-de-develop-rich-countries-sdgs

Santos, Milton. (2017) Toward an Other Globalization: From the Single Thought to Universal Conscience. 1st ed.

Kothari, Ashish. (2019). Pluriverse : A Post-Development Dictionary. First published. New Delhi, India: Tulika Books.

Escobar, A. (2015). Degrowth, postdevelopment, and transitions: a preliminary conversation. Sustain Sci 10, 451–462

Power and space

Foucault, Michel. (1982). "The Subject and Power." Critical Inquiry 8, no. 4.

Crampton, J. W., & Elden, S. (Eds.). (2007). Space, knowledge, and power: Foucault and geography. Ashgate.

Gender, ethnicity, and the non-hegemonic being.

Kinkaid, E., & Emard, K. (2024). Judith Butler. In M. Gilmartin, P. Hubbard, R. Kitchin, S. M. Roberts (Eds.) (3 ed., Vol. 0, pp. 76-82). SAGE Publications Ltd, https://doi.org/10.4135/9781036231323.n11

Sharp, Joanne P. (2000). Entanglements of Power : Geographies of Domination/Resistance. London: Routledge.

Lugones, M. (2008). The Coloniality of Gender. Worlds & Knowledges Otherwise

Based on European ecosystems, the students deepen their knowledge in biodiversity, ecosystem change and restoration, with a focus on plant-related ecological processes. They learn about the differences between near-natural and highly modified/urbanised ecosystems, and what these differences mean for managing and conserving nature.

Ecosystems and their species communities are strongly influenced by the management of natural resources. The way we use, manage and design ecosystems impacts the biodiversity and the ecological processes that we can observe and measure, and we see these changes especially in highly-modified and novel ecosystems. This course will cover different anthropogenic impacts as well as restoration strategies to advance the understanding of ecological processes and patterns, with an emphasis on water management and urbanisation.

Will be provided during the course

Having successfully passed the module, the students

• Perform hydrological field measurements, including streamflow, water quality, soil moisture, and microclimate monitoring.
• Collect high-quality georeferenced datasets within the Cajas Biosphere Reserve for analysis.
• Understand the fundamentals of optical, radar, and thermal remote sensing relevant to mountain ecosystems.
• Process satellite data (e.g., Sentinel, Landsat) and compute vegetation, water, and land-surface indices for biodiversity and hydrology studies.
• Apply remote-sensing approaches to monitor ecosystem health, glacier remnants, páramo dynamics, and hydrological patterns.
• Conduct spatial analyses in QGIS/ArcGIS Pro, including classification, terrain modeling, hydrological modelling, and habitat mapping.
• Produce high-quality maps, visualizations, and spatial datasets suitable for scientific reporting.
• Understand the ecological significance of the Andean páramo and lake systems within the Cajas Biosphere Reserve.
• Identify key biodiversity indicators and environmental pressures within high-mountain tropical ecosystems.
• Assess human–environment interactions and conservation challenges in biosphere reserves.

The summer school provides an integrated program combining field-based training in the Cajas Biosphere Reserve near Cuenca, Ecuador, with analytical and technological skills in remote sensing, GIS, biodiversity research, and hydrological monitoring. Participants engage in hands-on fieldwork, sensor deployment, and geospatial analysis, supported by expert instruction and collaborative project work. Key contents include:

• Remote Sensing for Mountain Ecosystem Monitoring
• GIS and Spatial Data Analysis
• Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics
• Hydrology and Catchment Processes
• Fieldwork in the Cajas Biosphere Reserve

The summer school will take place at the Universidad del Azuay (UDA) in Cuenca, Ecuador between 22.9. – 26.9.2026, Training will be on Campus, field research to Cajas Biosphere Reserve will be realized for data collection. Costs for travel, accommodation and field trip will be covered.

Will be provided during the course

Using international scientific publications for elucidating and understanding processes behind elected natural phenomena. Discussing natural scientific mechanisms and explanations of the phenomena. Considering alternative (more cultural ones) explanations, too.

Natural phenomena are subject to scientific contexts that will be worked out as part of this elective module. With the help of international research articles, we want to approach natural phenomena and understand how they arise, and which scientific theories of origin are already being discussed. Thus, the focus will be on analyzing the scientific processes that lead to these special natural phenomena by using international scientific literature.

In addition to the scientific explanations, we also want to look at “alternative” explanations that are put forward by people outside of science.

The seminar will take place weekly. Starting with an introductory lecture. During the seminar the students will be asked to prepare a presentation explaining a natural phenomenon scientifically but also describing other existing explanations out of science. Additionally, a one-day excursion will be organized. At the end of the seminar the students need to prepare a written report dealing with the presented phenomenon.

Will be given during the seminar!

Since the Great Recession of 2008/2009, protectionism, nationalism and the return of geopolitics have slowed down the process of increasing international interconnectedness of economic activities through the mobility of goods, services, capital, labour and technological knowledge. Deglobalisation and slowbalisation have replaced the previous phase of hyper-globalisation. Ten years after the last edition of ‘Global Shift’ (Dicken 2015), the seminar aims at understanding and assessing transformation processes in the global economy from a spatial perspective.

Starting from the basic literature, selected aspects of the global economic system will be described and explained in order to be able to assess the possibilities of political interventions. Topics range from globalisation and income disparities on a global scale to the spatial mobility of goods, services and the production factors of labour, capital and technical knowledge, as well as global production networks and the production systems of multinational companies. The aim is to acquire and consolidate methods of scientific work in general and knowledge of the collection, presentation, analysis and interpretation of secondary statistical data in particular.

• Economic globalisation: History, present and future
• The pendulum swings back: Discontent, geopolitics and the end of hyper-globalisation
• Empirics of global shift: International income disparities, trade and factor mobility
• The rise, decline and stagnation of regions in the global economy
• Multinational corporations, global value chains and production networks
• Industry perspectives: Extractive industries, agro-food, clothing, semiconductors, automobiles, advances business services, logistics and distribution services

Braw, E., 2024: Goodbye Globalization: The Return of a Divided World. New Haven, London: Yale Univ. Press.

Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, 2025: Themenseite Globalisierung. https://www.bpb.de/themen/globalisierung/?field_filter_format=all&field_tags_keywords[0]=-1&d=1 [03.06.2025].

Chu, B., 2025: Exile Economics: What Happens if Globalisation Fails. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Coe, N.M.; Yeung, H.W.-C., 2015: Global Production Networks: Theorizing Economic Development in an Interconnected World. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press.

Dicken, P., 2015: Global Shift: Mapping the Changing Contours of the World Economy. (7th ed.). London: Sage.

Hahn, B., 2009: Welthandel. Geschichte, Konzepte, Perspektiven. Heidelberg: Spektrum Akademischer Verlag.

Knox, P.; Agnew, J.; McCarthy, L., 2014: The Geography of the World Economy. (6th ed.). London: Routledge.

Mahlke, S. (Hrsg.), 2022: Atlas der Globalisierung: Ungleiche Welt. Berlin: Le Monde Diplomatique; taz.

Michie, J., 2017: Advanced Introduction to Globalisation. (=Elgar Advanced Introductions). Cheltenham; Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar.

Müller, M., 2025: Die Geopolitik globaler Lieferketten. (=Schriftenreihe der Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, 10998). Bonn: Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung.

O'Brien, R.; Williams, M. (2024): Global Political Economy. Evolution and Dynamics. (7th ed.). London: Bloomsbury

Rodrik, D., 2011: The Globalization Paradox: Democracy and the Future of the World Economy. New York, NY: Norton.

Schlembach, C., 2024: Welthandel und Globalisierung. Ausgehandelt? – Wie offen ist die Weltgesellschaft? (=UTB, 5992). Paderborn: Brill Fink.

Stutz, F.P.; Warf, B., 2014: The World Economy: Geography, Business, Development. (6th ed.). Harlow: Pearson Education.

The World Bank, various issues: World Development Report. https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/wdr/wdr-archive [03.06.2025].

Yeung, H.W.-C., 2022: Interconnected Worlds: Global Electronics and Production Networks in East Asia. (=Innovation and Technology in the World Economy). Stanford, CA: Stanford Univ. Press.

Yeung, H.W.-C., 2016: Strategic Coupling: East Asian Industrial Transformation in the New Global Economy. (=Cornell Studies in Political Economy). Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press.

Yeung, H.W.-C.; Coe, N.M., 2015: Toward a Dynamic Theory of Global Production Networks. In: Economic Geography, 91(1), S. 29-58.

“Since geography today is usually not seen as a research method, but increasingly as a method of presentation, it is of particular importance as a social service of geography for the public.” (https://www.spektrum.de/lexikon/geographie/landeskunde/4541, 10.06.2025)
The geographical community is still divided on the subject of regional (or country?) geography. Nevertheless, it enables the first systematic approaches to spaces and undoubtedly still has its justification in certain areas. 
In addition to reflecting on the professional criticism as well as the advantages, you will try out the application in spoken and written form using examples of your own choice.

They all have an individual wealth of experience of geographically remarkable spaces. This compulsory elective module is about the scientifically justifiable selection, preparation and presentation of geographically relevant landscapes or parts of landscapes. In your opinion, particularly beautiful, interesting, significant, exciting spaces or landscapes are presented and justified. Criteria can be (not exhaustive): Geology, landscape development, urban planning, architecture, nature conservation, tourism, economy, surface forms, vegetation cover, land use, hazards, georisks, population, ecosystem functions ...

Regionally, the course focuses primarily on places in Germany. Well-founded further examples are also welcome.

The following topics are not permitted:

• Structural change in the Ruhr area
• Emscher conversion
• Lignite

In the seminar part, instructive keynote speeches and the subsequent discourse are practiced. The written part serves to deepen academic writing and is a small preliminary exercise for upcoming, somewhat more extensive written work.

The basics are the relevant parts of the introductory lecture. In addition there are e.g.:

• Axel Borsdorf: Geographisch denken und wissenschaftlich arbeiten. Klett-Perthes, Gotha 1999.
• Ute Wardenga: German Geographical Thought and the Development of Länderkunde (PDF; 110 kB) in: Inforgeo, 18/19, Edições Colibri, Lissabon 2006, S. 127–147.

Furthermore, as always, depending on the chosen topic, a sufficient amount of citable, quality-assured literature must be consulted.

After successfully completing the course 

• students know the basics of geographical tourism research,
• know which trends and influencing factors currently determine international tourism development and what effects this has on the environment and society,
• are able to critically examine these developments and discuss alternative approaches to tourism development.

The course consists of three content blocks:

1. basics of tourism and (geographical) tourism research
2. tourism offers and their effects on the environment, society and the economy
3. approaches to the transformation and containment of tourism

Within these blocks, a variety of topics will be covered, whereby the participants can influence the focus. These could include the following aspects: 

• Demand side (travel behavior of tourists, general conditions)
• Supply side (destination life cycle, framework conditions such as transportation, e.g. low-cost carriers)
• City tourism (e.g. with regard to Airbnb-fication, overtourism, business and event tourism)
• Cultural tourism (e.g. interactions between world cultural heritage and tourism, industrial tourism as a component of structural change)
• Coastal tourism (e.g. tourism-induced growth of coastal cities, resilience of ecosystems, interactions between diving tourism and species conservation)
• Nature conservation and tourism (e.g. cooperation and conflicts in national parks, hunting tourism)
• Demographic change and tourism (e.g. health tourism, cruise tourism)
• Social movements in tourism (e.g. poverty tourism, voluntourism, dark tourism)
• Eco- and socially sensitive tourism concepts (e.g. pro-poor tourism, fair tourism, ecotourism, flight compensation)

The seminar sessions each focus on a specific topic. In addition, there are content-related impulses from the teacher, student presentations, work and discussion phases.

A short excursion may be organized by arrangement. 

Topic-specific literature will be announced at the respective sessions. In addition, textbooks can be recommended, e.g.

• Neumair, Simon; Rehklau, Tatjana; Schlesinger, Dieter Matthew 2019: Angewandte Tourismusgeografie. Berlin & Boston.
• Rein, Hartmut; Strasdas, Wolfgang 2017: Nachhaltiger Tourismus. 2 Aufl. Wien, Köln & Weimar.
• Schmude, Jürgen; Namberger Philipp 2015: Tourismusgeographie. Darmstadt.
• Kagermaier, Andreas 2015: Tourismusgeographie. Berlin.

„Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.“  Benjamin Franklin)

Assuming this is the case, the seminar will not only be about acquiring knowledge, but also about applying it independently in a jointly developed regional context. Consequently, the main part of the seminar will be about analyzing selected regions and developing ideas and measures together and then presenting them to people from the field.
So try your hand as a consultant and develop recommendations for action and future concepts for regions undergoing structural change together on the basis of analyses and discussions!
And last but not least: Why are you, as a geographer, particularly well suited to advising regions, cities or universities? There are answers to these questions in this seminar.

You will acquire:

• Knowledge of the German science system
• Knowledge of structural change
• Knowledge of the connections between science and the region
• Independently carry out analyses and derive fields of action and ideas
• Application of skills learned during your studies to practical examples

In an increasingly complex and dynamic world, science plays a central role in the process of structural change. It is far more than a supplier of theories and models - it is an active shaper of social, economic and technological change.

The main topics of the seminar are:

• How does the German science system work?
• What does structural change mean?
• How do science and the region influence each other?
• How does consulting work?
• How do I put the methods I have learned into practice and develop recommendations for action independently in a team?

1. Expectations, getting to know each other, structure of the seminar, introduction to the topic (Adler)
2. Importance and function of scientific institutions; initial presentation of three exemplary structural change regions (Rhenish mining area; Lusatia; Ruhr area); distribution of topics (Adler) (3-4 people per team for short presentations: research and development, training and further education, business start-ups, ...)
3. Working phase
4. Presentation of the scientific landscapes in the regions (Adler)
5. Presentation of the short papers (students)
6. Joint development of a work assignment and selection of structural change regions
7. Concrete analysis approaches, possible formats, quantitative and qualitative approaches, interviews (Adler)
8. Creative, moderated work phase; analysis of the selected regions / optional: excursion
9. Creative, moderated work phase; analysis of the selected regions
10. Presentation, discussion and further development of the results
11. Presentation, discussion and further development of the results
12. Joint finalization of the results
13. Presentation and discussion; presentation to representatives of the selected regions
14. Review of the discussions and results; review of the procedure and results of the seminar, lessons learned; mutual feedback

Will be announced in the seminar.

• Efficient, automated analysis of large data sets
• Creation of meaningful scientific illustrations
•  Confident handling of basic descriptive and inferential statistics
• Processing (analysis and presentation) of vector and raster geodata
•  Creation of complex spatial visualisations

The course begins with a brief review of basic concepts of the Python programming language and important data science libraries such as pandas. In addition, the version management system git is introduced and used throughout the course.
In the further course, complex visualisations are created (matplotlib, seaborn) and parametric and non-parametric statistical tests are applied (scipy).
In the last third, the focus is on the processing and visualisation of geodata in vector and raster format (geopandas, rasterio, ...)..

Weekly course in presence divided into:

• Presentation and overview of new content
• Code Along session with practical examples
• Independent application of the new content using short tasks in the course

The research workshop at the GI is intended to enable students to work on research projects both individually and in small groups, not bound to a specific seminar, or to initiate their own small projects outside of a project seminar. The projects can be carried out in a wide variety of subject areas, can be regional or international, purely geographical but preferably interdisciplinary.
Involving students in research practice as early as possible offers them both a broader and deeper horizon of learning and experience, which will have a positive effect on the choice of a topic for their Master's thesis as well as their later career decision. The practice of self-organization, independent work and the assumption of responsibility are important goals that should lead to greater motivation and a stronger commitment to their studies and geography.

The content varies and must be requested individually from other lecturers.

Andreas Pflitsch:

I offer the following topics and locations:

Alaska, & USA Southwest: - can also be taken as an English-language course.

If you have already successfully completed an excursion on regional geography, Bachelor's students can participate in the research workshop with their own project or an individual question in the course of the excursions on regional geography to Alaska or the Southwest of the USA.

Master's students can also take part in the Regional Geography excursions (Bachelor's programme) to Alaska or the Southwest of the USA with their own project or individual research question.

A number of reserved places are available for these options.

Cave Climatology: Dechenhöhle Iserlohn

Various cave research projects are currently being carried out or are in the process of being set up. You can carry out your own investigations in the Dechenhöhle cave.

The investigations focus on the following topics:

Microclimatology such as air and rock temperatures, humidity, wind currents.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me by e-mail (andreas.pflitsch@rub.de).

If you are interested, please contact the respective lecturer personally and discuss the further procedure individually.

Will be announced by the lecturers.

The city is built for eternity and yet it can be adapted and renewed again and again. It consists eo ipso of buildings and the people who use them. Both are part of the solutions and at the same time part of the problems in the challenging process of transforming our cities in a way that is both careful and conservative on the one hand and vigorous and modernizing on the other.
of our cities.

The centuries-long renewal of our cities has never followed a uniform pattern; at the same time, successful strategies have emerged that are currently being used in both the East and the West to remedy dysfunctions and eliminate deficiencies in defined areas. Recognizing and utilizing the causes of transformation and the mechanisms for future-oriented change are of equal concern to urban research and municipal practice.

Students deal with the complex challenges facing Germany's crisis-ridden cities theoretically and using examples of their historical, structural, urban, social, cultural, health, traffic, economic, housing and ecological starting conditions, problems and opportunities, analyze approaches and strategies and develop their own perspectives on how to deal with the existing situation and its transformation. They strive to find answers to the questions: How is transformation motivated and financed and who are its beneficiaries, contributors, drivers and operators? What can be structurally and socially changed, recycled or has a high degree of permanence? What preparatory work is needed to optimally define the spatial and content-related boundaries of a regeneration area? What instruments do local authorities have at their disposal and how can they be skillfully combined and used successfully? What planning, funding and (flagship) projects are needed for successful regeneration in the various phases?

Dealing with urban renewal gives students the opportunity to apply what they have learned so far to an important task, to concrete cases and in the context of a wide variety of aspects, to experience the complexity of urban renewal and to think about an interesting practical activity after graduation.

In dealing with the diverse requirements and solutions of the current urban renewal, the view opens up to the most diverse starting positions and competencies as well as the options for action of the city, urban society, private actors and the urban nature of the city, which cannot, cannot be a city. The situation of the city as a whole has a major influence on the development of neighborhoods, urban areas and districts. The problem- and opportunity-oriented, strategic focus on spatially delimited areas increases the possibilities and capabilities for intervention on the one hand, but also forces the need for local conflict resolution on the other. The city-wide objectives: Housing supply, energy and climate, commercial development, beauty and resilience as well as the contradictions between land-conserving versus space-saving development must therefore be addressed, as must the fine line between upgrading and displacing the residential population in urban neighbourhoods, the conflicts between quiet residential areas and the disturbances from mixed-use, noisy areas, the climatic and energy-related renewal of commercial areas, dealing with inner-city locations, improving the health situation or even the urbanization of college and university areas.

The examination of selected tasks and a wide variety of practical examples will lead to insights into different approaches, the use of formal and informal instruments and the public and private financing of renewal measures.

• The built city as a reflection of social developments and urban planning models as reflected in the ongoing renewal of cities in East and West
• Spatial, economic, ecological, design, temporal and socio-spatial consequences of global crises and disasters, general trends and requirements as well as the resulting specific challenges for the renewal of major German cities
• Discussion of central topics, contents and objectives of regeneration
• Working out the factors for a meaningful demarcation of areas and the targeted formulation of measures as well as the opportunities and limits of procedural creativity: time sequence, priorities, animating pilot and showcase projects, etc.
• Use of formal and informal plans and instruments for effective and sustainable planning and socio-spatial interventions
• Implementation of large and small, spatially effective and socio-cultural practical measures
• Possibilities and limits of political and administrative control as well as important groups of actors and the different interests involved
• What are the benefits of success control and monitoring?
• Development of scenarios for the further development of previous regeneration strategies and discussion of transferability into practice

• Altrock, Uwe 2018: Stadterneuerung. In: ARL – Akademie für Raumforschung und Landesplanung (Hrsg.): Handwörterbuch der Stadt- und Regionalentwicklung. Hannover
• Becker, Heidede / Sander, Robert / Jessen, Johann (Hrsg.) 1999: Ohne Leitbild? Stuttgart
• Brand, Ulrich 2009: Die multiple Krise. Dynamik und Zusammenhang der Krisendimensionen, Anforderungen an politische Institutionen und Chancen progressiver Politik. Berlin
• Kegler, Harald 2021: Resilienz. Strategien und perspektiven für die widerstandsfähige und lernende Stadt. Braunschweig
• Kröck, Eckart 2022: Bochum: Innenstadt ohne Einzelhandel? In: David Ohnesorge / Julian Wékel, Institut für Städtebau und Wohnungswesen (Hrsg.), Beispielhafte Entwicklungsprojekte für innerstädtische Bereiche – Neue Materialien zur Planungskultur. München
• Kröck, Eckart 2021: Das Bochumer Westend: Es ist besser vom Klischee auszugehen, als im Klischee zu landen! In: Stadt Bochum (Hrsg.), Abschlussdokumentation: Drei Stadtteile werden zum Westend, Stadterneuerungsprozess im Bochumer Westend. Bochum
• Stratmann, Bernhard 1999: Stadtentwicklung in globalen Zeiten: Lokale Strategien, städtische Lebensqualität und Globalisierung. Basel und Berlin
• Verschiedene Herausgeber seit 1990: Jahrbücher Stadterneuerung. Beiträge aus Lehre und Forschung an deutschsprachigen Hochschulen. Berlin

Publications from various major German cities.

Visits, interviews and participation in discussions and events.

Further literature / sources / references will follow at the start of the seminar.

• Acquisition of basic knowledge of QGIS. Note: The course explains how to use QGIS within the required framework.
• Familiarization with and application of a model for determining thermal comfort in urban areas
• Experience with the complexity and limitations of modeling
• Modification of the model to simulate the effects of green infrastructure

In this course, students are introduced to the modeling of thermal comfort with open source software in three steps. 

1. basics

• basics of the tools used (QGIS, QGIS plug-in UMEP-Toolbox [1]) and
• the theoretical basics of thermal comfort.

2. preparation and modeling

• from data acquisition,
• to preparation and pre-processing, 
• to the application of the SOLWEIG model [2]
• and final analysis of the model results. 

3. analysis and evaluation

• In the third part of the course, the findings are used to evaluate greening strategies and their effects on thermal comfort in the model area.

Optionally, if the course allows it, possibilities of visualizing the data (e.g. meteorological data, model results) with Python3 can be taught.
 

The course consists of 12 sessions, 3 of which are used to introduce the basics of QGIS and thermal comfort, 6 of which are used to apply the UMEP toolbox and model, and 3 of which are used for advanced analysis and discourse on modeling limitations.
At the end of the course, students must demonstrate that they can apply the model. The examination is the completion and submission of a practical assignment with a report on the application of the model and the interpretation of the results.

[1] UMEP-Toolbox: https://umep-docs.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ 

[2] SOLWEIG-Modell: https://umep-docs.readthedocs.io/en/latest/processor/Outdoor%20Thermal%20Comfort%20SOLWEIG.html 

[3] YouTube Reihe zum Umgang mit SOLWEIG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpUDIWzr514&list=PLRcN4qwyVex0nM6HpgBKsPFB7zOll4fFy

[4] Visualisierung mit Python3: z.B. mit den Modulen matplotlib (https://matplotlib.org/), plotly (https://plotly.com/python/) oder geopandas (https://geopandas.org/en/stable/index.html)

Develop an understanding of the zonal organization of the earth in the ecological structure, acquire an understanding of temperate soils in the landscape context and of extreme locations as habitats

The elective module focuses on the ecozonal organization of the earth according to Schultz. Other zonal classification concepts are also developed. The human factor plays only a subordinate role in Schultz's conception of the organization. Instead, the focus is on physical-geographical factors such as geomorphology, climate, vegetation and fauna, soils and material turnover. Land use or the consequences of climate change are partially addressed by Schultz. This aspect will be addressed and problematized more strongly in the seminar when dealing with ecozones (e.g. palm oil plantations, thawing of permafrost soils, etc.)
Another focus will be on soils in temperate latitudes, which will be dealt with separately, as well as on extreme locations as habitats.

Will be announced in the preliminary meeting