New forum for the transport transition
03/24/2026It sees itself as a platform for sustainable mobility: the student transformation experiment "Forum Mobility" has now started work at the University of Würzburg.
Networking existing mobility initiatives at the university and other universities in Würzburg, combining research findings with practical implementation and jointly initiating concrete improvements: This is how those responsible for the "Forum Mobilität" (Mobility Forum) describe their goals. The focus is on sustainable and needs-based mobility, both between the university locations as well as on campus and in the connection to the city and region.
Don't get stuck in thinking
"With this forum, we want to bring together the various expertises at the university and the colleges. There's already quite a lot being done and researched - so we thought it would be cool if all these initiatives and projects came together," say Henry Mörtl, initiator of the forum, and Stine Bohlmann, student assistant in the forum. One aspect is important to both of them: the members of the project should not remain "in thought", but should also implement individual projects directly.
The student transformation experiment was officially launched at the end of January. Based at the university's WueLAB sustainability laboratory, the forum sees itself as a participatory, cross-status group and transdisciplinary platform. At its regular meetings, a wide range of stakeholders from academia, administration, the student body and practice will come together to discuss mobility issues relating to Würzburg's university locations and tackle them in an action-oriented manner.
Central fields of action identified
The participants already discussed key areas of action during the first meeting in January: Public transport connections to the university locations, the infrastructure of cycle paths and footpaths, campus mobility at Hubland and the University Hospital as well as issues relating to commuter mobility for students and employees.
Existing challenges such as the frequency and utilisation of bus connections, data management and the quality of cycle paths were brought together. However, concrete solutions have also already been identified: for example, improved communication structures, greater use of mobility data, the expansion of bicycle parking facilities and infrastructural adjustments to the bus and tram network.
Next meeting on 29 April
These topics are to be explored in greater depth at the forum's upcoming meetings, underpinned with research data and translated into projects. The next meeting is planned for Wednesday, 29 April 2026, 12:00 pm at the Hubland Campus; the exact location will be announced. Interested parties from universities and practice are invited to get involved and play an active role in shaping mobility at Würzburg's universities.
The Mobility Forum emerged from the "Referat Mobilität" (Mobility Department) of the student's representation and builds on existing exchange formats with regional transport partners. As a transformation experiment, it aims to systematically bring together scientific perspectives, practical experience and responsibility as well as student commitment and to translate these into concrete projects and solutions for universities, the city and transport companies.
Contact
Henry Mörtl, Stine Bohlmann, wuelab-forum-mobilitaet@uni-wuerzburg.de
