Universität Passau
Research
Research support
When conducting world-class research, academics must rely on their creativity; but they also require administrative structures that reliably and comprehensively support them in their work. The Research Services Division provides professional advice and support on gaining funding from German and international donor organisations.
By its 50th anniversary in 2028, the University of Passau intends to become one of the leading centres in Europe for basic interdisciplinary research on the effects of digitalisation on society. The University focuses its research on the guiding themes of ‘Digitalisation, Networked Society and (Internet) Cultures’, ‘Europe and Global Transformation’ and ‘Migration, Sustainable Development and Just Order’.
Digital Research Magazine
The Digital Research Magazine presents selected projects on the University's research themes in a high-quality online format. The profiles of the researchers behind major projects are also showcased in the magazine.
The research themes in detail
The overarching research themes are a logical extension of the founding principles of the University of Passau, which was established in 1978 as a so-called ‘borderland’ university. At the time, due to its proximity to both Austria and the Iron Curtain, the issues facing Europe were quite literally ‘close to home’. This history is taken up by the research theme ‘Europe and Global Transformation’.
University of Passau - the movie
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IndORGANIC: Passau Researchers prepare real Green Transformation Indonesia
Turning Indonesia organic: Can the agriculture of the world’s largest island country be transformed into a bioeconomy? A research team at the University of Passau explores the potential of organic farming in Indonesia - the German Federal Ministry for Research and Education (BMBF) supports the project with a budget of EUR 882.190.
Indonesia after the Green Revolution
It was called Green Revolution, but with mixed result: In the mid-1960s Indonesia's agriculture was industrialized to increase yields and prevent famines. It was a move away from traditional agriculture. The consequences are noticeable today: Lower soil fertility is the consequence, loss of agrobiodiversity and other growing environmental concerns. There are already efforts to promote organic farming, "but the share is still very small," explains Michael Grimm, Professor of Development Economics at the University of Passau, who - together with Prof. Dr. Martina Padmanabhan from the Chair of Comparative Development and Cultural Studies - is directing the project IndORGANIC. Indonesia is the largest and most populous country in South East Asia. The social scientist and the development economist want to explore to what extent its agriculture could be transformed into organic farming.
Value change, distribution issues, conflicts
Organic farming means: no pesticides, no chemical fertilizer and hence a more sustainable production. Strengthening traditional agriculture, where it is still practiced and complement it with sophisticated methods for example in biological pest management. Ideally there do long run gains in sustainable ecosystem services compensate for short-term losses in productivity. "Food production through organic farming implies transformational change that touches upon distribution issues, it bears conflicts about values and it requires institutional change," explains Prof. Dr. Padmanabhan.
At the beginning the researchers have to understand Indonesian approaches to organic farming and explore which methods and systems of organic farming can be promising in the context of Indonesia. Subsequently, farmers will be informed and possibly convinced to apply these methods. The team will offer training on these methods and devise incentive mechanisms to foster adoption. These will be tested through a pilot project in about 50 to 60 villages The researchers from Passau will collaborate with the Universitas Atma Jaya in Yogyakarta and the Institut Pertania Bogor on the Indonesian island of Java, both will also work together.
Are women more receptive to organic farming?
The team explores organic farming as an alternative to conventional agriculture from a philosophical, social and economic perspective in an inter- and transdisciplinary approach: Prof. Dr. Padmanabhan, a social scientist, analyses findings on values and belief systems motivating human behavior. Among other things, she examines the influence of gendered institutions enabling or disadvantaging organic farming: In Indonesia farming women take care of food production, while men tend to produce cash crops to make profits. So are women more receptive to organic farming? And if so, how could this be supported?
Development Economist Grimm brings in economics: What incentives are needed to win over conventional farmers? Could subsidies help to overcome reluctance to adopt organic farming? Grimm is positive about the initial situation: "The Indonesian agriculture is relatively well developed, we have a huge internal market, and with South Korea, Malaysia and China, Indonesia has prosperous neighbours." Indonesian organic products such as rice (pictured: rice farmes at work in Indonesia, photo: V. Schreer), coffee, cocoa, tropical fruits and cassava plants could turn into successful export commodities. Possibly, the transformation into a bioeconomy could make Indonesia also more attractive for tourists. Bali uses already this selling argument.
Recommendations for local governments
At the end of the three-year project, the researchers want to present a comprehensive analysis of the situation and demonstrate the potential of organic farming in Indonesia as well as interventions needed to realize the vision of a bioeconomy. The team will write accessible policy briefings for Indonesian local governments as well as recommendations for actors such as the World Bank and the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). In addition, there will be academic publications for the research community. A webpage of the project will deliver regular updates about the progress of the project.
Participation and promotion
Prof. Dr. Martina Padmanabhan, Professor of Comparative Development and Cultural Studies with a focus on Southeast Asia at the University of Passau, is leading the project together with Prof. Dr. Michael Grimm, Professor of Development Economics. Partners in Indonesia are the Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta (UAJY) and the Institute Pertania Bogor (IPB) as well as the Indonesia Organic Alliance (IOA).
The Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) supports the project over a period of three years with a budget of EUR 882.190.
| Principal Investigator(s) at the University | Prof. Dr. Michael Grimm (Lehrstuhl für Development Economics) Prof. Dr. Martina Padmanabhan (Lehrstuhl für Vergleichende Entwicklungs- und Kulturforschung (Schwerpunkt Südostasien)) |
|---|---|
| Project period | 01.12.2016 - 31.12.2021 |
| Website | http://www.uni-passau.de/en/indorganic/ |
| Source of funding |  BMBF - Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung |
| Projektnummer | 031B0233 |
| Themenfelder | Sozialwissenschaften, Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften des Landbaus, Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften, Sozialwissenschaften, Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Asienbezogene Wissenschaften |
In recent years, Europe's responsibility to respond to global challenges with appropriate strategies has increasingly prompted researchers at the University of Passau to make development questions a matter of academic enquiry. The interdisciplinary path taken has brought about not only the interfaculty master's programme in Development Studies but also the research theme ‘Migration, Sustainable Development and Just Order’.
IndORGANIC: Passau Researchers prepare real Green Transformation Indonesia
Turning Indonesia organic: Can the agriculture of the world’s largest island country be transformed into a bioeconomy? A research team at the University of Passau explores the potential of organic farming in Indonesia - the German Federal Ministry for Research and Education (BMBF) supports the project with a budget of EUR 882.190.
Indonesia after the Green Revolution
It was called Green Revolution, but with mixed result: In the mid-1960s Indonesia's agriculture was industrialized to increase yields and prevent famines. It was a move away from traditional agriculture. The consequences are noticeable today: Lower soil fertility is the consequence, loss of agrobiodiversity and other growing environmental concerns. There are already efforts to promote organic farming, "but the share is still very small," explains Michael Grimm, Professor of Development Economics at the University of Passau, who - together with Prof. Dr. Martina Padmanabhan from the Chair of Comparative Development and Cultural Studies - is directing the project IndORGANIC. Indonesia is the largest and most populous country in South East Asia. The social scientist and the development economist want to explore to what extent its agriculture could be transformed into organic farming.
Value change, distribution issues, conflicts
Organic farming means: no pesticides, no chemical fertilizer and hence a more sustainable production. Strengthening traditional agriculture, where it is still practiced and complement it with sophisticated methods for example in biological pest management. Ideally there do long run gains in sustainable ecosystem services compensate for short-term losses in productivity. "Food production through organic farming implies transformational change that touches upon distribution issues, it bears conflicts about values and it requires institutional change," explains Prof. Dr. Padmanabhan.
At the beginning the researchers have to understand Indonesian approaches to organic farming and explore which methods and systems of organic farming can be promising in the context of Indonesia. Subsequently, farmers will be informed and possibly convinced to apply these methods. The team will offer training on these methods and devise incentive mechanisms to foster adoption. These will be tested through a pilot project in about 50 to 60 villages The researchers from Passau will collaborate with the Universitas Atma Jaya in Yogyakarta and the Institut Pertania Bogor on the Indonesian island of Java, both will also work together.
Are women more receptive to organic farming?
The team explores organic farming as an alternative to conventional agriculture from a philosophical, social and economic perspective in an inter- and transdisciplinary approach: Prof. Dr. Padmanabhan, a social scientist, analyses findings on values and belief systems motivating human behavior. Among other things, she examines the influence of gendered institutions enabling or disadvantaging organic farming: In Indonesia farming women take care of food production, while men tend to produce cash crops to make profits. So are women more receptive to organic farming? And if so, how could this be supported?
Development Economist Grimm brings in economics: What incentives are needed to win over conventional farmers? Could subsidies help to overcome reluctance to adopt organic farming? Grimm is positive about the initial situation: "The Indonesian agriculture is relatively well developed, we have a huge internal market, and with South Korea, Malaysia and China, Indonesia has prosperous neighbours." Indonesian organic products such as rice (pictured: rice farmes at work in Indonesia, photo: V. Schreer), coffee, cocoa, tropical fruits and cassava plants could turn into successful export commodities. Possibly, the transformation into a bioeconomy could make Indonesia also more attractive for tourists. Bali uses already this selling argument.
Recommendations for local governments
At the end of the three-year project, the researchers want to present a comprehensive analysis of the situation and demonstrate the potential of organic farming in Indonesia as well as interventions needed to realize the vision of a bioeconomy. The team will write accessible policy briefings for Indonesian local governments as well as recommendations for actors such as the World Bank and the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). In addition, there will be academic publications for the research community. A webpage of the project will deliver regular updates about the progress of the project.
Participation and promotion
Prof. Dr. Martina Padmanabhan, Professor of Comparative Development and Cultural Studies with a focus on Southeast Asia at the University of Passau, is leading the project together with Prof. Dr. Michael Grimm, Professor of Development Economics. Partners in Indonesia are the Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta (UAJY) and the Institute Pertania Bogor (IPB) as well as the Indonesia Organic Alliance (IOA).
The Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) supports the project over a period of three years with a budget of EUR 882.190.
| Principal Investigator(s) at the University | Prof. Dr. Michael Grimm (Lehrstuhl für Development Economics) Prof. Dr. Martina Padmanabhan (Lehrstuhl für Vergleichende Entwicklungs- und Kulturforschung (Schwerpunkt Südostasien)) |
|---|---|
| Project period | 01.12.2016 - 31.12.2021 |
| Website | http://www.uni-passau.de/en/indorganic/ |
| Source of funding | BMBF - Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung |
| Projektnummer | 031B0233 |
| Themenfelder | Sozialwissenschaften, Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften des Landbaus, Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften, Sozialwissenschaften, Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Asienbezogene Wissenschaften |
Since 2011, the University of Passau has consistently dealt with another global development across academic disciplines and faculty borders: the societal effects of digitalisation. The Technik Plus development programme and the second phase of the successful DFG Research Training Group ‘Privacy’ have provided a sustained impetus for interdisciplinary co-operation between the faculties. One example of this co-operation is the BMBF-funded SKILL project (website in German), which analyses the societal effects of digitalisation on teaching and learning environments and places a strong focus on information and media literacy. Another example is the Passau Centre for e-Humanities (website in German), which is also funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Due to the successful co-operation in these and many other projects, the academics at the University of Passau developed the focus ‘Digitalisation, Networked Society and (Internet) Cultures’.
IndORGANIC: Passau Researchers prepare real Green Transformation Indonesia
Turning Indonesia organic: Can the agriculture of the world’s largest island country be transformed into a bioeconomy? A research team at the University of Passau explores the potential of organic farming in Indonesia - the German Federal Ministry for Research and Education (BMBF) supports the project with a budget of EUR 882.190.
Indonesia after the Green Revolution
It was called Green Revolution, but with mixed result: In the mid-1960s Indonesia's agriculture was industrialized to increase yields and prevent famines. It was a move away from traditional agriculture. The consequences are noticeable today: Lower soil fertility is the consequence, loss of agrobiodiversity and other growing environmental concerns. There are already efforts to promote organic farming, "but the share is still very small," explains Michael Grimm, Professor of Development Economics at the University of Passau, who - together with Prof. Dr. Martina Padmanabhan from the Chair of Comparative Development and Cultural Studies - is directing the project IndORGANIC. Indonesia is the largest and most populous country in South East Asia. The social scientist and the development economist want to explore to what extent its agriculture could be transformed into organic farming.
Value change, distribution issues, conflicts
Organic farming means: no pesticides, no chemical fertilizer and hence a more sustainable production. Strengthening traditional agriculture, where it is still practiced and complement it with sophisticated methods for example in biological pest management. Ideally there do long run gains in sustainable ecosystem services compensate for short-term losses in productivity. "Food production through organic farming implies transformational change that touches upon distribution issues, it bears conflicts about values and it requires institutional change," explains Prof. Dr. Padmanabhan.
At the beginning the researchers have to understand Indonesian approaches to organic farming and explore which methods and systems of organic farming can be promising in the context of Indonesia. Subsequently, farmers will be informed and possibly convinced to apply these methods. The team will offer training on these methods and devise incentive mechanisms to foster adoption. These will be tested through a pilot project in about 50 to 60 villages The researchers from Passau will collaborate with the Universitas Atma Jaya in Yogyakarta and the Institut Pertania Bogor on the Indonesian island of Java, both will also work together.
Are women more receptive to organic farming?
The team explores organic farming as an alternative to conventional agriculture from a philosophical, social and economic perspective in an inter- and transdisciplinary approach: Prof. Dr. Padmanabhan, a social scientist, analyses findings on values and belief systems motivating human behavior. Among other things, she examines the influence of gendered institutions enabling or disadvantaging organic farming: In Indonesia farming women take care of food production, while men tend to produce cash crops to make profits. So are women more receptive to organic farming? And if so, how could this be supported?
Development Economist Grimm brings in economics: What incentives are needed to win over conventional farmers? Could subsidies help to overcome reluctance to adopt organic farming? Grimm is positive about the initial situation: "The Indonesian agriculture is relatively well developed, we have a huge internal market, and with South Korea, Malaysia and China, Indonesia has prosperous neighbours." Indonesian organic products such as rice (pictured: rice farmes at work in Indonesia, photo: V. Schreer), coffee, cocoa, tropical fruits and cassava plants could turn into successful export commodities. Possibly, the transformation into a bioeconomy could make Indonesia also more attractive for tourists. Bali uses already this selling argument.
Recommendations for local governments
At the end of the three-year project, the researchers want to present a comprehensive analysis of the situation and demonstrate the potential of organic farming in Indonesia as well as interventions needed to realize the vision of a bioeconomy. The team will write accessible policy briefings for Indonesian local governments as well as recommendations for actors such as the World Bank and the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). In addition, there will be academic publications for the research community. A webpage of the project will deliver regular updates about the progress of the project.
Participation and promotion
Prof. Dr. Martina Padmanabhan, Professor of Comparative Development and Cultural Studies with a focus on Southeast Asia at the University of Passau, is leading the project together with Prof. Dr. Michael Grimm, Professor of Development Economics. Partners in Indonesia are the Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta (UAJY) and the Institute Pertania Bogor (IPB) as well as the Indonesia Organic Alliance (IOA).
The Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) supports the project over a period of three years with a budget of EUR 882.190.
| Principal Investigator(s) at the University | Prof. Dr. Michael Grimm (Lehrstuhl für Development Economics) Prof. Dr. Martina Padmanabhan (Lehrstuhl für Vergleichende Entwicklungs- und Kulturforschung (Schwerpunkt Südostasien)) |
|---|---|
| Project period | 01.12.2016 - 31.12.2021 |
| Website | http://www.uni-passau.de/en/indorganic/ |
| Source of funding | BMBF - Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung |
| Projektnummer | 031B0233 |
| Themenfelder | Sozialwissenschaften, Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften des Landbaus, Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften, Sozialwissenschaften, Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Asienbezogene Wissenschaften |
Passau International Centre for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies (PICAIS)
The University is currently in the process of establishing the Passau International Centre for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies (PICAIS) as a visible place on campus for the advancement of exemplary research, international network-building and for the support of early career researchers. It will be designed as a permanent, autonomous University institution that is particularly suited to furthering the visibility of our research output, as another cornerstone of the internationalisation of our research.
Advancement of early career researchers
Any university that strives to maintain sustained excellence in research and teaching must provide a first-rate support base for those setting out on their research careers. To this end, the University has made it a core objective to give its early career researchers the best possible support when it comes to gaining qualifications and participating in (international) networks. We place particular emphasis on promoting female early career researchers and increasing the number of women professorial positions.
Research support
When conducting world-class research, academics must rely on their creativity; but they also require administrative structures that reliably and comprehensively support them in their work. The Research Services Division provides professional advice and support on gaining funding from German and international donor organisations.
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