Growing Stronger Together: ISA’s Evolving Partnerships with Universities, Alumni, and Companies

Over the past seven years, the International Sustainability Academy (ISA) has forged impactful partnerships with academic institutions, alumni, and businesses, broadening its reach and enhancing opportunities for its fellows. These collaborations continue to strengthen ISA’s mission of fostering sustainable development globally.

University Collaborations

In 2024, the ISA partnership with Hamburg University took a significant step forward, marking its full integration into the ISA program. Initially introduced during the 2021/2022 cohort, this partnership evolved into the “Sustainable Startups in Emerging Economies” course, led by Professor Dr. Kay Peters at the Institute for Marketing and Media.

• This course engages 20-30 Hamburg Uni students and ISA fellows in developing sustainable business models tailored to local cultural and environmental contexts.
• In 2024, six ISA fellows contributed projects from countries such as Brazil, India, Malaysia, and Indonesia, leading to ongoing collaborations beyond the course.

Additional impactful university partnerships include:

• Sushmita Krishnan (India): Worked with Prof. Bodo Saake and the University of Hamburg’s Wood Chemistry Lab, innovating pulp and paper solutions using water hyacinth fibers.
• Nondas Ferreira da Silva (Brazil): Collaborated with Dr. Walter Leal at the University of Applied Sciences of Hamburg, advancing his expertise in multicultural sustainability strategies through GERBRAS-SCIENCENET.

Alumni Engagement

The ISA Alumni Network (ISA AN), in partnership with Alumniportal Deutschland, continues to thrive. It hosts notable events such as a September 2024 online panel on food security, which attracted over 300 participants. This platform amplifies alumni voices, strengthens their networks, and fosters global dialogue on sustainability challenges.

Corporate Collaborations

ISA expanded its partnerships with leading companies, creating valuable internships for fellows in 2024:

• Madan Poudel (Nepal): Collaborated with Gut & Bösel on regenerative agriculture and agroforestry.
• Sally Masha (Kenya): Engaged in intercultural social work with VIA-Regionalverbandes Berlin/Brandenburg e.V.
• Chimwemwe Tembo (Malawi): Explored sustainable aquaculture at the “Auschauteichen” fish ponds in Eschede

Call for Support

ISA seeks funding and collaborative support to continue and expand these impactful partnerships. Strengthening university, alumni, and corporate engagements ensures:

• Enhanced interdisciplinary learning environments.
• Greater access to cutting-edge sustainable technologies and research.
• Broader reach of ISA fellows’ projects in their home countries.

Join ISA in advancing global sustainability through innovative partnerships.