Current Issues & Highlights
September 14 - 18, 2023: 3rd Procida Symposion "Wind in Conflict – Who owns the commons?"
The de facto appropriation of ownership rights in wind has been the overarching question guiding the discussions between the participating scientists. Backbone of the event were the participants’ research insights on the multitude of topics arising from the tenants of transitional justice within the energy transition. In this context the question of ownership and exploitation rights vs. community benefits and a fair distribution of burdens triggers plenty of conflicts hampering the expansion of wind energy. Adressing justice concerns, diverging interests in wind and (mis-)perceptions within the public opinion on wind energy provided the focal points of three and a half days event. The profound exchange between the participants pose fruitful ground to the future work conducted by the Kelso Professorship and the Kelso Institute Europe.
Prof. Lowitzsch was part of a panel of experts on Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) at a recent R&D Session hosted by the EDP Centre for New Energy Technologies. The centre has the mission to create value through collaborative R&D (research & development) in the energy sector. EDP NEW is committed to research and development with a strong focus on technology demonstration projects.
The Session presents RECs as a concept that aims to revolutionize decentralized energy production by creating local communities that hold renewable energy production assets. It shows pioneering initiatives in terms of business models and social innovation, along with current opportunities and difficulties in implementing RECs in Europe.
The full Session can be watched here: https://www.edp.com/en/new-rd-sessions#energy-communities
March 19 - 21, 2019: Workshop on the development of action plans for the pilots of SCORE
The project coordinators at European University Viadrina and Climate Alliance invited all SCORE partners to gather in March in Frankfurt (Oder) from 19 to 21 March for a two-day workshop on the development of action plans for the pilots.
After a first year of selecting buildings, analysing investment conditions and preparing strategies to engage vulnerable consumers, the implementation phase of the SCORE project was kicked off: The CSOP financing model was tailored to local circumstances and laws, so that the partners can fully secure all necessary investments. Furthermore, important milestones were identified for administrative tasks, the on-going involvement of consumers and the development of a PR strategy to further engage private consumers at the sites. Great emphasis was also placed on sharing experiences from the pilots and on facilitating a peer-to-peer learning process between them and potential follower cities.
It was a special pleasure to welcome at the workshop representatives from three potential follower cities: the province of Barcelona in Spain, the city of Essen and the island of Rügen in Germany expressed interest in exploring possibilities to replicate the CSOP model within their districts.
November 12 - 25, 2018: Patricia Kelso’s visit to Frankfurt (Oder) and Słupsk
Prof. Dr. Lowitzsch and the Kelso-Professorship team were incredibly glad to welcome Mrs. Patricia Kelso, the President of the Kelso Institute for the Study of Economic Systems, San Francisco (http://kelsoinstitute.org), for two busy weeks of private and professional meetings, strengthening their long-standing bonds.
On November 15, Mrs. Kelso and Prof. Dr. Lowitzsch met for a brunch with the new President of Europa-Universität Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) Prof. Dr. Julia von Blumenthal, the Chancellor Niels Helle-Meyer and the Vice-President for Strategy and Development Janine Nuyken to discuss the work of the endowed Kelso Professorship (https://www.wiwi.europa-uni.de/en/lehrstuhl/gastprof/kelso/index.html), in particular the SCORE project (https://www.score-h2020.eu), and the envisaged development of a sustainability strategy by the university. Both topics converge in the reconstruction project of the building located at Große Scharrnstraße 23A. The building will be reconstructed in 2019 to house the university’s chairs, whose current premises are in the main post building. Energy efficiency measures and a photovoltaic installation on the roof are under consideration.
A visit of this building at Große Scharrnstraße 23A took place later that day. Dirk Oeltjen from Wohnungsbaugenossenschaft Frankfurt (Oder) eG (WohnBau Frankfurt), owner of the building, provided guidance and infos on the reconstruction process. Reconstruction will start in 2019, and the staff will move in in the beginning of 2020. Marisa Malhotra (student) is writing her master’s thesis on energy efficiency measures and the reconstruction of the building.
The day was complemented by a gathering in the Kelso office with the professorship’s staff, Prof. Dr. Georg Stadtmann (https://www.wiwi.europa-uni.de/en/lehrstuhl/fine/makro/lehrstuhlinhaber/index.html) as well as Prof. Dr. Albert Söllner (https://www.wiwi.europa-uni.de/de/lehrstuhl/mm/ima/mitarbeiter/lehrstuhlinhaber/soellner/index.html) and his research associate Franziska Lichter. The participants had an interesting and vivid discussion on various economic topics, e.g., the role of digitalisation, starting from the recent publication of a foreword by Mrs. Kelso to the book „Democracy in the age of internet“.
Renewal of the partnership between the European University Viadrina and the University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne
The ceremonial signing of the respective agreements took place in our office premises.
Foreground: Prof. Dr. Georges Haddad (left), Präsident der Universität Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne; Prof. Dr. Alexander Wöll (right), Präsident der Europa-Universität Viadrina
Background: Prof. Dr. Timm Beichelt (left), Prof. Dr. Jens Lowitzsch, Prof. Dr. Maria Gravary-Barbas, Jun.-Prof. Nicolas Hubé, Petra Weber (right)
Photo: (c) Heide Fest
“Towards a Re-Conceptualisation of Property Rights”
Presentation of the international and interdisciplinary research group “Property Rights, Globalisation and the Social Function of Property"
Procida Symposion, 17-21 May 2017
Seminar for faculty members at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
Prof. Dr. Lowitzsch presented local faculty members the topic "Automation, digital revolution and capital concentration: The elephant in the room - A race for the machine?" ("Digitalizacja, Automatyzacja, zatrudnienie i dystrybucja .Słoń w pomieszczeniu") at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań.
Franco-German University - DFH
Prof. Dr. Jens Lowitzsch is appointed to the scientific advisory board of the Franco-German University. Read more in the following article.
Guest professorship at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne
Prof. Dr. Lowitzsch currently teaches as a guest lecturer at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. Visit Intercentar to figure out more about our partnership with our french colleagues.
Public hearing of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs of the European Parliament on “Employee financial participation in the age of digitalisation”
Prof. Dr. Lowitzsch presented the topic "Automation, digital revolution and capital concentration: The elephant in the room - A race for the maschine?" at the public hearing of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs of the European Parliament on “Employee financial participation in the age of digitalisation”.
Presenatation Automation, digital revolution and capital concentration: The elephant in the room - A race for the maschine?"
1st Workshop on (Youth) Unemployment
The financial and economic crisis has strongly affected the European labor markets: Employment has suffered, umemployment rates have increased, labor participation rates were under pressure and migration and remigration patterns have changed. However, not all labor markets were affected alike. The heterogeneity of labor market adjustments is in the focus of the upcoming workshop.
