Bochum’s Regional Center for Education for Sustainable Development and its partner network received an official state award at a ceremony in Meschede on Friday.
The distinction was presented during a regional event hosted by the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport in the Stadthalle Meschede. Viktor Haase, State Secretary in the ministry, addressed approximately 340 participants to honor a total of 76 schools and four networks across the Arnsberg administrative district.
- State Recognition: The Bochum BNE-Regionalzentrum and its educational network were officially honored on November 13, 2026, within the “Schule der Zukunft” program.
- School Certifications: Seven out of nine participating Bochum partner schools secured individual certifications as schools of the future.
- Network Expansion: Having already surpassed its targets for 2026, the Tierpark-led initiative is actively inviting new cultural institutions, schools, and organizations to join.
State Secretary Viktor Haase emphasized that Education for Sustainable Development equips young people to comprehend ecological, social, and economic dynamics while actively shaping their own futures. Operating as an officially recognized regional hub, Tierpark + Fossilium Bochum coordinates the local network and functions as a core driver within the municipal sustainability strategy. The institution bridges formal schools and extracurricular learning environments through direct nature interactions and specialized expertise.
The certified educational alliance includes Tierpark + Fossilium Bochum, nine local schools, and several external partners. The participating academic institutions consist of Matthias-Claudius-Schule, Hildegardis-Gymnasium, Hellweg-Gymnasium, Heinrich-Böll-Gesamtschule, Gesamtschule Bochum-Mitte, Willy-Brandt-Gesamtschule, Neues Gymnasium Bochum, Goethe-Schule, and Alice-Salomon-Berufskolleg. External partners comprise USB Bochum GmbH, the environmental consultancy of Verbraucherzentrale NRW in Bochum, sevengardens Bochum, Regionales Bildungsbüro Bochum, and the zdi-network MINT.Bochum.
Beyond the collective network recognition, seven of the nine partner schools earned standalone certifications under the “Schule der Zukunft” framework. These institutions are Hildegardis-Gymnasium, Hellweg-Gymnasium, Heinrich-Böll-Gesamtschule, Gesamtschule Bochum-Mitte, Willy-Brandt-Gesamtschule, Neues Gymnasium Bochum, and Goethe-Schule. Ralf Slabik said that the accolade belongs to all participants who animate the network and highlights a strong collective sense of responsibility across different institutions.
“Die Ehrung gehört allen Beteiligten, die das Netzwerk mit Leben füllen.”
Following the early achievement of its 2026 targets, the Tierpark management has opened applications for additional schools, cultural initiatives, and organizations wishing to enter the regional BNE alliance. The overarching state program is sponsored jointly by the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of School and Education of North Rhine-Westphalia, with coordination handled by the Natur- und Umweltschutz-Akademie NRW.
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