Experience the UN Climate Change Conference with HM
Hochschule München is one of the few European universities to hold official observer status at the UN Climate Change Conference. Through its initiative ‘Experience the UN Climate Change Conference with HM’, the university aims to give students, lecturers, staff members and members of civil society the opportunity to experience the UN Climate Change Conference (COP – Conference of the Parties) first-hand and to help them gain a better understanding of the political decisions taken at the COP.
Objectives of the Climate Conference
At the UN Climate Change Conference, known as the Conference of the Parties (COP), all the world’s countries come together to agree on binding measures to tackle climate change. The 197 participating countries and the EU are primarily concerned with how to slow down global warming. The question of how to deal with the consequences of climate change is also a key topic of discussion amongst those present.
The Paris Agreement on climate change is a milestone in international climate protection. For the first time, the signatory states have committed to taking concrete measures to limit global warming to below 2°C compared with pre-industrial levels. However, the significance of the Paris Agreement extends far beyond this. It also recognises the need to adapt to the already noticeable effects of climate change and to redress the power imbalance between the Global North and the Global South. The international community is seeking sustainable solutions to address these complex tensions.
HM on the move
The concept is based on the university seminar ‘Shaping International Climate Protection – The Role of German Delegations at UN Climate Change Conferences’ for students (download seminar leaflet). The seminar offers an interdisciplinary insight into the background and current status of climate action through examples, exercises, discussions and group work. As the semester progresses, students work in groups on specific topics relating to the climate agreement, applying an academic approach. Upon completion of the seminar, students can participate in the COP as ambassadors, witnessing political decisions first-hand and engaging in dialogue with politicians on site.
Back at the university, the ambassadors share their experiences with the university community and civil society. They pass on their experiences through interactive and playful exhibition stands. These experiences are also shared via a wide range of social media platforms, print media and educational games. In addition, there are panel discussions featuring the multipliers and experts, during which photos and video recordings from the COP are shared. Interactive elements allow the audience to get involved. The aim is to make global political decisions more accessible, understandable and tangible.
Hochschule München will be represented with official observer status at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil from 17 to 21 November 2025. A team of students and lecturers will be reporting directly from the event. Exclusive insights and impressions will be shared live via the Studentisches Green Office (a student-led sustainability office)’s Instagram profiles and on the HM app.
An award from UNESCO and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung)!
The HM project ‘Experience the UN Climate Change Conference with HM’ has been awarded the ‘National Award – Bildung für Nachhaltige Entwicklung (Education for Sustainable Development)’ by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung) and the German Commission for UNESCO.
The concept for the World Climate Conference developed in collaboration with HM, which received an award from UNESCO and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung), is embedded within the sustainability strategy of the University Development Plan and, in coordination with HM’s sustainability and climate protection management, creates further synergies.
Find out more
Shaping international climate action – The role of HM at UN Climate Change Conferences
Previous participations