International student exchange between Sarajevo and Hamburg dedicated to sustainable development and circular economy
Today, the University of Sarajevo Rectorate officially launched an international student exchange with HafenCity University Hamburg, as part of the Circular Business Models and Enabling Urban Infrastructures in Sarajevo program.
The start of the exchange was made official with speeches by Prof. Dr. Tarik Zaimović, Rector of the University of Sarajevo, Prof. Dr. Dušanka Bošković, Minister of Science, Higher Education and Youth of the Sarajevo Canton, Mr. Arend Müller, First Secretary and Head of the Department for Economic Affairs and Development of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ms. Felicitas Siek, Coordinator of the Climate and Energy Cluster for the Western Balkans, who spoke on behalf of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The joint messages emphasized strong support for international cooperation and highlighted the important role of universities in responding to global challenges through education, partnerships and knowledge exchange. The importance of GIZ, which played a key role in initiating and co-financing this academic exchange, was particularly highlighted.
The gathering was also addressed by students Ajla Smajlović, a student representative of the University of Sarajevo, and Lena Seybold, a student representative of HafenCity University Hamburg, who, on behalf of their colleagues, reflected on the importance of exchanges as a space for learning, exchanging perspectives, and building lasting professional and interpersonal connections.
Words of gratitude were addressed to the professors who provided academic leadership and practical implementation of the program on both sides: Henning Wilts, Jakub Galuszka, Ljiljan Veselinović, and Jasmina Mangafić, whose engagement was crucial for the successful preparation and implementation of this exchange.
The exchange is organized by the newly established Office for Climate Change and Sustainability of the University of Sarajevo, as the University's central institutional platform for climate resilience, sustainable development, and green transition, strategically aligned with the EU Green Deal and its agenda for the Western Balkans.
The program lasts five days and is designed as a bilateral model of academic cooperation, bringing together students and professors from the University of Sarajevo and HafenCity University Hamburg through joint academic work, field visits and knowledge exchange on sustainable development, circular economy and contemporary urban challenges.
The exchange is implemented with the financial support of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and co-financing and long-term support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), with the aim of strengthening international academic cooperation and developing capacities for sustainable and green transition in the region.
During their stay in Sarajevo, the program participants will, in addition to academic activities, have the opportunity to learn about local sustainable development policies, urban practices and institutional approaches to green transition.
The project “Green Transition: Promoting a Circular Economy in Cities and Municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, on behalf of the Federal Government of Germany, within the framework of the Regional Climate Partnership between Germany and the Western Balkans.
