10 April 2024

With their project "More freedom for wild animals, loss of freedom for us humans?", a team led by junior researcher Dr Miriam Kunde wins one of only twelve prizes awarded throughout Germany for Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences in the University Competition 2024.

Prof Dr Jörg Wagner, Dr Miriam Kunde and Prof Dr Stefan Siegel (from left) at the symbolic presentation of the prize money (Photo: Tina Bergknapp)

On the occasion of the "Science Year 2024" proclaimed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the award-winning project would like to invite discussion about species conservation and the coexistence of wild animals and humans. How can species conservation be harmonised with competing social interests? How can wild animals and humans live together peacefully? These questions will be discussed using the polarising return of the wolf in Germany as an example. Through fictitious court hearings, pupils and the interested public will have the opportunity to play an active role in a debate about the freedom of wild animals.

"Our aim is to raise awareness of social conflicts and the often competing interests of species conservation and human needs and to encourage people to adopt a different perspective and develop compromises and solutions," explains award winner Dr Miriam Kunde. "We firmly believe that open dialogue and communication within the community can lead to innovative solutions that benefit both animals and humans. Thanks to the support of the project through the prize money and Science in Dialogue, we can now realise our ideas for a dialogue with citizens."

At the official launch of the project at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences at the start of the 2024 summer semester, the President of the university, Prof Dr Jörg Wagner, symbolically presented the prize money to the winner.