Projects Funded by the Cologne International Forum
Director of the International Research Cluster: Prof. Dr. Michaela Pelican
March 2023 - February 2024
Cluster title:
Conflict-induced displacement and socio-economic resilience: Learning from neglected conflicts in Cameroon and Myanmar
More information to follow soon.
Tandem Collaborations
January 2023 - December 2023
Dr. Federico G. Corsi (Italy) – The Atoms of Epicurus. Philosophical and papyrological reassessment of the significance of Epicurus’ 25th book On Physics for his atomistic justification of free will.
Partner at University of Cologne: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Hammerstaedt (Classical Philology and Papyrology)
More information to follow soon.
Dr. Somayeh Khademi (Iran) - The Comparison of Implementation of Education for Sustainable Development in Geography Classes in North-Rhine Westphalia and Iran
Partner at University of Cologne: Prof. Dr. Alexandra Budke (Institute of Geography Education)
Dr. Somayeh Khademi

The comparison of Implementation of Education for Sustainable Development in Geography Classes; (Case Study: North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Iran).
This project focuses on the topic of education for sustainable development, which is essential for both countries, Iran and Germany, to solve central problems of the future.
From the very beginning of the promulgation of sustainable development (SD), it has been clear that education is the key to the new approach. Education for sustainable development (ESD) is practically a complex concept including all aspects, such as being aware of issues regarding sustainable development, having active participation in decision-making, and developing the knowledge, skills, concepts, and values towards empowering the citizens aimed at planning for a sustainable future. The importance of ESD is also highlighted in the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This research aims to analyze and compare EDS implementation in the geography classes of Iran and Germany (North-Rhine Westphalia). In addition to the content analysis of textbooks and curricula, we will use quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the perspectives of teachers and students toward ESD. In this area, internationally relevant approaches and materials can be developed, which can also innovate school practice.
Dr. Khademi has a background as a school teacher in secondary schools in Iran, where she taught social sciences (Geography, History, Sociology) and Mathematics. She completed her Ph.D. in Geography and Urban Planning at Kharazmi University of Tehran in 2020. Her Ph.D. dissertation was on "The explanation of the impact of social sustainability on neighborhood development in the process of city expansion." From 2015, she was a visiting lecturer at the Department of Urbanism at Payame Noor University (PNU), Shiraz.