Conference Program

This paper explores the concept of "porous educational landscapes" through the lens of two innovative projects at TU Wien: Transformer and Cultural Collisions. Both initiatives tackle the urgent societal challenge of climate change adaptation by creating democratic spaces for exchange between higher education, schools, and the public.

The core of this analysis focuses on how traditional institutional boundaries are bridged through transdisciplinary collaboration and peer-to-peer mediation. A key element in both projects is the involvement of university students who, within their curriculum, develop and facilitate educational modules. This approach transforms students into role models and ambassadors, bridging the gap between complex scientific research and the lived experience of children and adolescents.

The projects represent two distinct yet complementary formats of "porous" learning:

While Cultural Collisions functions as an interactive exhibition featuring various stations where students engage with scientific and artistic perspectives on climate change, The Transformer acts as a laboratory, providing hands-on formats that encourage experimental learning and technical empowerment.

The "porosity" of these landscapes is manifested on three levels:

Transdisciplinary Synergy: Collaboration occurs among students from diverse academic backgrounds and between university facilitators and school teachers, blurring the lines of traditional expertise.

Methodological Sensitization: By utilizing hands-on laboratory work and exhibition-based learning, pupils are empowered to participate in democratic discourses regarding climate resilience.

Institutional Openness: The projects dissolve the "ivory tower" of the university, carrying scientific discourse into the public sphere and directly into the everyday environment of schools.

The contribution reflects on the potential of these formats to foster a democratic culture of learning. It demonstrates how involving young adults as mediators not only enhances their own sense of agency but also strengthens the engagement and self-efficacy of the next generation in the face of the climate crisis.