Studium Individuale: Emma Steinbrück - Creative connections

After leaving school, Emma Steinbrück went to Northern Ireland for a year: “I did voluntary service there in a facility for people with disabilities.” After that, it seemed clear what she wanted to study: Emma Steinbrück enrolled at a university of applied sciences to study “Integrative Health Promotion”. “A lot of the content was interesting, but this type of study didn't offer me enough freedom and flexibility,” she recalls. 

She was looking for a program that she could better combine with her political commitment and came across Studium Individuale at Leuphana College. The program encourages students to design a significant part of their curriculum freely and independently. They choose a question that they would like to answer with the help of their seminars and lectures. Emma Steinbrück is particularly interested in education for sustainable development and political sustainability. “I have the great opportunity to satisfy my curiosity and make connections that would otherwise not have been possible. For example, I can combine environmental sciences and education for sustainable development or deal with climate adaptation from a cultural studies perspective. At the Leuphana Law Lab, I learned more about sustainable legislation,” reports Emma Steinbrück. She never had the feeling that she was alone in her decisions: “I received good support throughout my studies and now work as a peer advisor myself.” 

Born in Kassel, she attended a UNESCO project school. This led to her involvement with the German UNESCO Commission. Today, she is active in several committees and is involved in the German LCOY (Local Conference of the Youth) for climate protection and climate education and is responsible for networking with various youth organizations and the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection, among other things. “We are currently working together on a position paper for the Bundestag elections,” reports the 23-year-old. 

Last year, for example, the young people discussed with Robert Habeck how climate-friendly the Heating Act is. “Socially relevant issues also need a young voice,” says Emma Steinbrück. She wants to strengthen the interests of young people through her committee and association work. “The best thing about studying and being involved is the interesting people I get to work with.”

Emma Steinbrück is now in her fifth semester and is planning her Bachelor's thesis on youth participation formats at federal ministries: “You don't learn leadership at school, you learn it in youth organizations.”