University of Helsinki Confers Honorary Doctorate on Professor Kümmerer
2025-05-27 Lüneburg/Helsinki. Professor Dr Klaus Kümmerer of Leuphana University of Lüneburg has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Helsinki. On 23 May, the expert in sustainable chemistry received the highest distinction granted by the Finnish university during the Faculty of Philosophy’s graduation ceremony. As a symbolic gesture, the honorary title includes both a doctoral hat and a sword. By awarding this distinction, the university seeks not only to honour an outstanding scientist, but also to reaffirm its commitment to environmentally responsible innovation in the pharmaceutical sciences.
The University of Helsinki highlights Kümmerer’s pioneering work in sustainable chemistry and in green and sustainable pharmacy, particularly his contributions to the development of environmentally friendly pharmaceuticals. His decades-long efforts laid the foundations for the integration of ecological sustainability into pharmaceutical development.
Long before it became a mainstream topic, the university notes, Professor Kümmerer championed the concept of “Benign by Design” – the development of drugs that are both effective and readily biodegradable – as well as the broader field of green and sustainable pharmacy. His visionary research has received international recognition, including the prestigious Wöhler Prize for Sustainable Chemistry awarded by the German Chemical Society (GDCh), and the (German) Federal Cross of Merit.
According to the Faculty of Pharmacy, it has greatly benefited from its collaboration with Professor Kümmerer. Since 2016, he has inspired numerous research projects and academic initiatives at the university, helping to shape the emerging field of sustainable pharmacy. His work contributed directly to two major EU-funded projects (PREMIER and TransPharm) and supported the establishment of the world’s first professorships in sustainable pharmacy at the faculty.
For Klaus Kümmerer, this marks his second honorary doctorate from a prominent European university in 2025: in March, he was also honoured by Ghent University.