On May 21, 2025, the Georg Agricola University of Applied Sciences (THGA) in Bochum welcomed a delegation from the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) for an intensive exchange on future cooperation opportunities in the field of ecological restoration in the context of post-mining. The aim of the meeting was to jointly explore ways in which scientific expertise and global standards for restoration ecology can be integrated into academic education and research.
The focus was particularly on the CERP-Programm (Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner), which could receive a tailor-made addition at the THGA in the future as part of the planned reaccreditation of the Master's degree programs in 2026. SER International sees great potential for embedding basic knowledge on ecological restoration into the course content of Bachelor's and Master's programs. Initial ideas range from digital guest lectures and specialist workshops to long-term research collaborations.
A concrete anchor point could be the planned international symposium to be held in cooperation with the G20 Global Land Initiative | UNCCD in March 2026, where an additional workshop could be held as part of the symposium on global standards in post-mining, terminology and understanding of ecological restoration. Closer cooperation on translation issues - for example for a joint vocabulary project with institutions from the UN system - was also discussed.
In addition, the strategic further development of the Research Center for Post-Mining (FZN) was discussed during the visit - particularly with regard to its transformative role as a Transformationszentrums für Georessourcen und Ökologie (TGÖ). Ecological and nature-based approaches will also play a central role here in the future. The FZN brings comprehensive, holistic and technical expertise to this - including in the areas of geomonitoring, mine water management, hydrogeology, hydrochemistry and post-mining management. The center also plays an active role in the technical support of transformation processes in the sense of a just transition. This broad scientific and technical expertise makes the FZN a holistic knowledge platform that can be ideally complemented by SER's international and ecologically focused capabilities.
The combination of these two perspectives - technical post-mining expertise and ecological restoration on a global scale - opens up a unique partnership with great appeal. Together, innovative solutions can be developed for the challenges of post-industrial regions - both in the Ruhr region and worldwide.
Excursion to the Hoheward slag heap
The productive meeting was followed by an excursion to the Hoheward slag heap in the Emscher Valley - an impressive example of post-industrial transformation. The slag heap, once a product of coal mining, has become a landmark of regional identity with high socio-ecological significance through renaturation and landscape architecture measures.
The day ended in the Duisburg-Nord Landscape Park, where it is impressively clear how industrial heritage can be preserved and ecologically enhanced at the same time. The park is exemplary for solutions in the area of conflict between monument protection, local recreation and near-natural development - in the middle of the densely populated Ruhr area.
The talks between THGA, FZN and SER International mark the start of a forward-looking partnership that combines local expertise, international standards and ecological responsibility in a unique way.
