TUM without Borders: How TUM students are shaping sustainability around the world
TUM Global, News |
What does it mean to move beyond discussing sustainability in theory and actually put it into practice? For TUM students, this question becomes reality through international projects – made possible by the TUM without Borders scholarship program. They work in different regions around the world, collaborating with local partners and engaging with real-world challenges. Solutions are not developed in abstraction, but directly on site, in their specific context, and in close exchange with the people who live and work there.
Kenya – Electrifying mobility and agriculture
Markus Pointner studies Development, Production and Management in Mechanical Engineering at the TUM School of Engineering and Design. He traveled to Kenya for his project, a country considered a frontrunner in electric mobility in Africa. His goal was not only to conduct research, but also to further develop his work through direct exchange with local partners.
His work focused on the question of how electric tractors can contribute to the electrification of rural regions. His findings show that electric vehicles, as an additional load on the grid, can support the expansion of infrastructure. At the same time, he developed a concept for an electric tractor and discussed it with stakeholders from academia and industry.
“Electric mobility can do more than just power vehicles. It can drive the development of entire regions.” – Markus Pointner, TUM School of Engineering and Design
The project was met with strong interest on site, and initial ideas for further development quickly emerged. For Markus, however, the most impactful aspect was the shift in perspective: working in a new environment and experiencing how theoretical approaches become tangible in practice.
Uganda – Rainwater management in hilly areas
Luisa Braunschweig and Anton Rebscher both study Landscape Architecture and Landscape Planning at the TUM School of Life Sciences. They traveled together to Uganda, supported by the TUM without Borders scholarship and in close cooperation with the organization Give a Goat Association.
There, they developed a rainwater management system for a hillside site where homes and a school were at risk during heavy rainfall.
Their goal was to combine safety, practicality, and the use of local resources. Existing structures were stabilized, new terraces were created, vegetation was integrated, and a system was developed to retain water, reduce erosion, and create usable spaces.
“I wanted to start where I could make a contribution: working with nature, not against it.” – Luisa Braunschweig, TUM School of Life Sciences
They worked closely with the school, the farm, and other parts of the local organization. Despite cultural differences and a very limited budget, visible improvements were achieved. People on site actively contributed and welcomed the newly usable areas, where coffee will be grown in the future to help strengthen the local economy.
For Luisa, the project was a formative experience: she learned to stand by her professional decisions, to distinguish between meaningful advice and mere commentary, and to push her own limits. Anton describes the experience as a period of intense personal growth that showed how valuable it is to remain open to different perspectives.
Trinidad and Tobago – Transforming ammonia production
Sebastian Hanss-Mirodone studies Sustainable Management and Technology at the TUM School of Management in Straubing. He is currently working in Trinidad and Tobago on the question of how sustainable transformation can be achieved beyond European frameworks. The country is one of the world’s largest exporters of ammonia and faces the challenge of making a strongly fossil-based industry more climate-friendly.
His work focuses on ammonia production, which is currently based almost entirely on fossil hydrogen. In the H2T-Transform project, he investigates how this can be replaced with green hydrogen. To do so, he develops models that combine economic and technical aspects and serve as a basis for decision-making in industry and policy.
Sebastian works closely with researchers from the University of the West Indies as well as with industry partners. The project has attracted strong interest and is supported by both government and industry. The goal is to develop concrete applications and implement initial demonstration projects.
For him, one of the most formative insights is that sustainable solutions cannot simply be transferred from one context to another. They require a deep understanding of local conditions and close collaboration.
“We need to move beyond our European perspective.” – Sebastian Hanss-Mirodone, TUM School of Management
Learning through TUM without Borders
Despite their differences, all projects share a central insight: sustainable development emerges through exchange. It depends on sharing knowledge, learning from one another, and co-developing solutions together with local communities – exactly what the TUM without Borders scholarship program makes possible.
For the students, their experiences go far beyond academic outcomes. They learn to navigate new situations, question perspectives, and take responsibility in a global context. International collaboration is therefore more than just a project: it creates connections, opens new perspectives, and helps develop sustainable solutions where they are needed most.
Visit us at the Sustainability Day!
📍 TUM Global & Alumni Office booth, Magistrale | M34 - 37
Would you like to learn more about TUM without Borders? Then join us at the Sustainability Day on April 29 in Garching! We look forward to meeting you and exchanging ideas.
Impressions from Kenya, Uganda, and Trinidad and Tobago
Image: Markus Pointner / TUM
Image: Markus Pointner / TUM
Image: Markus Pointner / TUM
Image: Luisa Braunschweig / TUM
Image: Luisa Braunschweig / TUM
Image: Luisa Braunschweig / TUM
Image: Luisa Braunschweig / TUM
Image: Luisa Braunschweig / TUM
Image: Luisa Braunschweig / TUM
Image: Anton Rebscher / TUM
Image: Sebastian Hanss-Mirodone / TUM
Image: Sebastian Hanss-Mirodone / TUM
Image: Sebastian Hanss-Mirodone / TUM