On April 22, 2026, the international “Conference on Education in International Material Flow Management” took place at Yantai University (China). The event focused on the international degree program IMAT (International Material Flow Management), a forward-looking model for training specialists in sustainability, resource efficiency, and the circular economy. The program has been offered for five years at the jointly founded Yantai Trier College of Sustainable Technology.

The conference was opened by Prof. Zhang Xianyong, Vice President of Yantai University and Dean of the Yantai Trier College of Sustainable Technology, underlining the close institutional ties between China and Germany. In their welcome addresses, speakers emphasized the importance of international cooperation in addressing global challenges such as climate change, the energy transition, and resource scarcity.

The conference brought together experts from academia, industry, and politics, providing an international platform for exchange on topics such as the decarbonization of industrial processes, sustainable energy systems, and innovative higher education.

Trier University of Applied Sciences, represented by the Institute for Applied Material Flow Management (IfaS), contributed several key presentations and set important thematic accents throughout the program:

Prof. Dr. Klaus Helling (online), Dean of the Department of Environmental Business/Environmental Law, demonstrated how sustainability, climate neutrality, and the circular economy can be integrated holistically into study programs, research, and everyday university life.
Marco Angilella, Head of International Project Management at IfaS, used the “Traveling University” (an intensive management seminar) as an example of how the circular economy is systematically and practically integrated into international higher education at the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld.
Navoda Pasan Senanayake, Project Manager at IfaS, highlighted the central role of sustainable energy systems in successful global decarbonization and the training of future professionals within the IMAT program.
Dr. Michael Knaus, former Head of International Project Management at IfaS and current Senior Climate Expert at the German Investment and Development Corporation (DEG), provided a practical perspective. He illustrated how climate policy, financing, and industrial transformation can be effectively combined. He also took on an important moderating role as Session Chair.

The conference concluded with a joint discussion on the further development of the IMAT degree program. Future course content, international cooperation, and the strategic importance of the program for sustainable transformation worldwide were key topics of discussion.

The IMAT conference in Yantai impressively underscored the international significance of the program. The strong contributions from the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld showed how academic excellence, innovative teaching, and practical relevance work successfully together and the vital contribution Trier University of Applied Sciences makes to global sustainable development.