On 8 May 2025, students from India, Nepal, and Germany, participating in the DAAD-SDG Partnerships Project “Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals – India, Nepal and Germany”, took part in an insightful knowledge-sharing session hosted by Symbiosis Law School (SLS), Pune, in collaboration with Brunswick European Law School (BELS), Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences. The session centred on the pioneering student initiative ”Tree Planters of SLSP", an interdisciplinary working group committed to realising the Sustainable Development Goals through structured, community-led environmental action.
Led by Project In-Charge Prof. Dr. Shashikala Gurpur, a Fulbright Scholar and Dean of the Faculty of Law at Symbiosis International University, the Tree Planters presented their strategic model for sustainable afforestation and biodiversity enhancement in urban India. With over 550 saplings planted across two phases - including the development of a butterfly garden - the initiative demonstrated how student engagement, scientific insight, and local partnerships can collectively drive measurable ecological impact.
German exchange students who had collaborated in Pune shared reflections on cross-cultural learning and the use of project management tools such as Confluence, which enhanced the coordination and execution of the plantation initiatives. Key academic insights included the legal implications of ozone layer protection, species preservation, and the importance of climate-appropriate plantation models.
The session offered a powerful example of how environmental stewardship, legal awareness, and intercultural cooperation can intersect to create replicable, student-driven solutions. It also set out clear short-, medium-, and long-term goals, including expansion into deforested zones in neighbouring regions and adapting the model in Nepal and Germany through future student exchanges.
This collaborative platform not only advanced the core objectives of the DAAD-SDG project but also reaffirmed the value of practical, comparative, and community-embedded approaches to sustainability.
