The Institute of Natural Resource Sciences (IUNR) is committed to the sustainable use of natural resources. Our range of programmes includes a Bachelor's degree in Natural Resource Sciences and a Master's degree in Environmental and Natural Resources. In the practice-oriented BSc in Natural Resource Sciences, you acquire the networked knowledge necessary to tackle demanding tasks in areas where ecological, economic and social demands intersect. The MSc in Environment and Natural Resources will make you an environment and sustainability expert. And it will enable you to use the skills you have acquired during your studies to contribute to the creation of a sustainable society.

We also offer a diverse range of training programmes and conduct applied research and development. As pioneers in the development of sustainable solutions, we take an interdisciplinary and science-based approach to the examination of current, socially relevant issues. Our focus is on the interfaces between society, the environment and technology.

About us

Sustainability report of the Institute (short version, in German only)(PDF 726,8 KB)

Our BSc course draws on topics from both the natural sciences and other disciplines such as engineering, social sciences and economics. Students can choose between five different specialisations: organic farming and horticulture, landscape/education/tourism, renewable raw materials and energies, nature management and urban ecosystems.

The Master programme Environment and Natural Resources combines natural and social sciences with technological competencies and therefore imparts the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary abilities to deal with complex environmental questions.

The Institute of Natural Resource Sciences offers a wide range of further education courses for professionals and enthusiasts:

The IUNR conducts research in six Research Units, Ecotechnologies and Energy Systems, Geoecology, Organic Agriculture, Sustainability Transformation and Food Systems, Tourism and Sustainable Development and Urban Ecosystems, which are comprised of a total of 22 research groups. The focus of our research is the development of sustainable solutions at the interfaces between society, environment and technology. In collaboration with our partners from private and public companies, we work on applied research and development projects and also offer various services. This active participation in national and European research programmes creates synergies between the various parties involved.

In the Ecological Engineering and Energy Systems Research Unit the following groups are researching:

• Aquaculture systems
• Ecotechnology
• Life Cycle Assessment
• Renewable Energy
• Soil Ecology

In the Geoecology Research Unit the following groups are researching:

• Ecohydrology
• Environmental Planning
• Geoinformatics
• Vegetation Ecology
• Wildlife Management

In the Organic Agriculture Research Unit the following groups are researching:

• Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology
• Horticulture
• Phytomedicine
• Soil Ecology

In the Sustainability Transformation and Food Systems Research Unit the following groups are researching:

• Agricultural and Resource Economics
• Geography of Food
• Sustainability Communication / Environmental Education

The Tourism and Sustainable Development Research Unit operates as a branch campus of IUNR at the Center da Capricorns in Wergenstein.

In the Urban Ecosystems Research Unit the following groups are researching:

• Green Space Development
• Grün und Gesundheit
• Pflanzenverwendung
• Urban Ecology