(C) M. Hoeher

Prof. Fan had accepted an invitation from  Prof. Martin Petrick and Prof. Min Liu, who is currently a visiting professor at the ZEU.

To address these complexities, Prof. Fan provided us with very interesting insights into several aspects:

Fan emphasized the indispensable role of economics when analyzing resource scarcity, uncovering the hidden costs of production, and managing the intricate trade-offs between efficiency, sustainability, and social inclusion.

He also discussed the crucial role of the international community in facing these challenges. While the UN system is undergoing a crisis on its own, especially after the retreat of the USA in many of its agencies, there are significant international efforts, such as the UN Food Systems Stocktaking (UNFSS). The UNFSS is successfully catalyzing national commitments through "national pathways," however, progress remains hampered by severe fiscal constraints in the Global South and a lack of integration within core climate agendas. A notable positive global trend is the growing scientific consensus on the necessity of healthy, sustainable diets that align with planetary boundaries.

In response to these global pressures, China has developed an integrated agrifood system transformation vision, according to Fan. It includes technological innovation to ensure grain self-sufficiency, strict protection of arable land, and the promotion of the "Big Food Concept" to diversify and improve nutrition. Furthermore, China is actively addressing food waste and fostering South-South cooperation through agricultural technology exchange and investment in Africa and Southeast Asia.

Looking ahead, Fan stressed that the transformation of food systems must move toward a systems-wide perspective. This requires rebuilding local production-consumption loops to enhance resilience, promoting circular economies through nutrient recycling, deployment of artificial intelligence and innovations in data collection. Finally, achieving a resilient and sustainable food systems demands strengthened global governance, increased climate finance for agriculture, and deep interdisciplinary collaboration to ensure that food systems can meet the needs of both people and the planet.

On 1 July 2026, the Faculty of Economics at Justus Liebig University Giessen hosted a special symposium in honour of Prof. Dr. Armin Bohnet on his 90th birthday. Former members of his chair organised the event under the theme “Internationalisation,” bringing together guests from academia and professional practice to celebrate his distinguished career.

Prof. Bohnet, emeritus professor of economics with a focus on public finance and institutional economics, was recognised for his longstanding connection to JLU and his outstanding academic contributions, particularly in the field of internationalisation.

The programme featured presentations on topical issues in economics and international cooperation. Prof. Dr. Ivo Bischoff of the University of Kassel discussed the acceptance of collective decisions and the role minorities can play in supporting democratic majority outcomes. Prof. Dr. Stefan Schäfer of RheinMain University of Applied Sciences addressed the introduction of the digital euro and its importance for European sovereignty in payment systems. Finally, Prof. Dr. Doris Fischer of the University of Würzburg explored the changing conditions for German-Chinese research cooperation and future opportunities for collaboration.

As a member of ZEU, he made significant contributions to the collaborative efforts with the universities in Łódź (Poland) and Kazan (Russia). For this, he received an honorary doctorate from Kazan University, as well as the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland and many other well-deserved honors. He also played a key role in establishing the English-language master’s program in “Transition Management,” which today—20 years after its founding—is one of JLU’s most successful English-language programs.

ZEU is delighted to join JLU and the Faculty of Economics in celebrating Prof. Bohnet’s remarkable achievements and extends its warmest wishes to him.

Fabian was part of the junior research group 'HydroCrowd – Citizen Science in Hydrology', whose aim was to develop innovative strategies for monitoring water resources in Tanzania, Ecuador and Honduras. To this end, the project gathered data on water quantity and quality in these countries by involving citizens in research activities. The project was led by Prof. Suzanne Jacobs and Dr. Björn Weeser, who also both acted as Fabian's advisors.

For his doctoral thesis, Fabian investigated the potential of participatory monitoring (PM) as an alternative source of data in hydrometeorology. To do so, he analyzed how much PM data is required for hydrological modeling and how different target groups performed when measuring various hydrometeorological parameters, such as air temperature or rainfall. He also applied the data for large-scale bias correction. In addition to his HydroCrowd related fieldwork in Honduras and Ecuador, Fabian participated in a doctoral exchange at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, which was funded by the International Giessen Graduate Center for Life Sciences (GGL). 

It has been a real pleasure to work with Fabian and we wish him continued success.

We are delighted to invite you to submit your abstract to the upcoming Water Security and Climate Change Conference (WSCC26), which will be held on 06 – 08 October 2026 in Giessen, Germany. The submission deadline is July 15, 2026.

The WSCC is an annual international platform where scientists, policymakers, and practitioners bridge the gap between multidisciplinary research and real-world implementation. Supported by the exceed program (Higher Education Excellence in Development Cooperation), this conference follows a successful global series held in countries such as Thailand, Kenya, Mexico, and Uzbekistan.

Congratulations to our colleague Dr. Alicia Correa on being selected for the ProProfessur Mentoring Hessen program for the next 18 months!

This prestigious program supports outstanding researchers on their path to professorships through personalized mentoring, targeted career development, and strong academic networking across Hessen. Ms. Correa’s selection is a wonderful recognition of her achievements and an important step in her academic career.

Professor Alexander Prishchepov, Associate Professor of the University of Copenhagen, co-affiliated withe the Justus-Liebig-University and participant in the SDG Nexus Network project has now been identified as one of the most cited scientists in his field on a global scale in 2025.

This assertion is substantiated by the most recent results of the Highly Cited Researcher Rankings, which were analysed by the Institute for Scientific Information of the American company Clarivate Analytic

Alexander's entry in the Web of Science database

Water Security and Climate Change Conference 2025 in Tashkent

Tashkent, Uzbekistan — The ninth Water Security and Climate Change Conference (WSCC25) held 8–10 October 2025 at the National Research University "Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers institure" (TIIAME NRU), brought together more than 150 researchers, practitioners and policymakers from 28 countries to exchange research, policy lessons and practical tools for managing water under accelerating climate stress.

Organised by the SDG^nexus Network in partnership with TIIAME NRU and supported by the exceed programme (Higher Education Excellence in Development Cooperation), WSCC25 focused on the urgent challenge of climate‑related water extremes and their impacts on food systems, ecosystems and societies.

It's finally done: Pavlina has successfully and confidently defended her dissertation, submitted to the Faculty of Social and Cultural Sciences - Department of Political Science. Pavlina's PhD research focused on Policy Transfer From International Organisations to Single States: The Case of Marine Spatial Planning Adoption in Colombia. The project was supervised by Prof. Helmut Breitmeier (International relations, centre). The examination board also included Prof. Martin Petrick  (Agricultural policy and market research, left),  Prof. Thomas Wilke (Animal ecology & systematics, right) and  Prof. Stefan Peters (International relations and peace studies, not pictured)

The ZEU extends its warmest congratulations on this wonderful achievement.

The inaugural event for the establishment of a third focal area, entitled 'One Health', was held on 7 May 2025, with representatives from a range of academic disciplines in attendance. The primary objective of this initiative was to investigate the potential for interdisciplinary collaboration within the framework of the ZEU.

A  text version describing the focus of the area was also agreed upon.

In May 2025, Prof. Christian Albrecht became a new member of the ZEU, and was elected to the role of spokesperson by the members of the 'One Health' focus area. His scientific activities are centred on the health of tropical and other freshwater systems, with a particular emphasis on the diversification patterns of invertebrates (especially molluscs), the dynamics of neglected tropical diseases such as schistosomiasis, and the mechanisms of invasive species in these aquatic habitats. His research is interdisciplinary, integrating the fields of biodiversity, environmental change and human health. This research aligns directly with the ZEU's mission to address global development and environmental issues.

The members of the ZEU  Climate and Environment Research Group have also elected new spokespersons, as the previous representatives were no longer available. The vote clearly went to:

• Dr Alicia Correa (SDGNexus Network) as main spokesperson and
• Dr Stéphanie Domptail (FB 09) as substitute spokesperson.