Marco Rieckmann

Prof. Dr. Marco Rieckmann is a Professor of Higher Education Didactics with a focus on key competencies at the Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Education and Social Sciences, University of Vechta, Germany. He is also the Co-Chair of the UNESCO Chair ‘Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy for Sustainable Development’ at the University of Limerick since 2024. His work centers on education for sustainable development (ESD), transformative learning, and sustainable university development.

His research interests include:

• Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Teacher Education
• Service Learning and Civic Engagement
• Curriculum Development for Sustainability
• Higher Education Governance and Institutional Transformation
• Digitalization and Serious Games in Sustainability Education
• Global Learning and Intercultural Education

His recent publications and projects reflect a strong trend toward assessing the impact of sustainability education, developing innovative teaching formats (e.g., Minecraft-based learning), and fostering whole-institution approaches in schools and universities. He emphasizes participatory, transdisciplinary, and transformative methods to empower learners and institutions.

Scientific awards and recognitions include:

• Best Doctoral Researcher of the Year 2008 (2nd place, Leuphana University)
• Innovative Teaching Award (2010)
• Multiple DAAD and ERASMUS guest lectureships
• UNESCO recognition for HOCH-N and LeNa projects (2018)

Prof. Rieckmann actively advises and collaborates with students and researchers, leads major funded projects (e.g., IMP>ACT, Senatra, HOCH-N), and contributes to national and international policy development. He is a key figure in advancing sustainability in higher education through research, teaching, and institutional leadership.

He leads and participates in various research labs and networks, including the UNESCO Chair, the LeNa network, the HOCH-N consortium, and multiple EU-funded projects focusing on co-learning labs, digital tools, and service learning for sustainability.