Premiere at MARLISPACE 2026: For the first time, the University of Nha Trang in Vietnam awarded honorary doctorates at the "International Conference on Marine Litter Prevention and Sustainable Practices towards a Circular Economy". The recipients: Ostfalia researchers Prof Max Ehleben, Dr Thomas Potempa from the Institute of Recycling and Prof Harald Rau from the Institute of Media Management. They were honoured for their work on the REVFIN research project.
Focus: Plastic pollution of the oceans
The conference itself focussed on one of the most pressing global environmental problems: the increasing pollution of the oceans by plastic and, in particular, by lost or discarded fishing gear. Under the leitmotif of a sustainable circular economy, the conference brought together scientists, political decision-makers and practitioners from ten nations to discuss innovative solutions for preventing marine litter. It became clear that the challenges can only be overcome through close international cooperation and interdisciplinary research.
The Ostfalia research project is an example of precisely this form of cooperation. It aims to systematically reduce the pollution of Vietnamese coastal waters by old fishing nets and at the same time establish sustainable recycling structures. In addition to technological and economic approaches, governance models and incentive systems - for example in the area of extended producer responsibility - also play a central role. The project thus combines environmental, economic and social aspects in the sense of a circular utilisation of resources.
Honouring international knowledge transfer
The honouring of the three Ostfalia researchers not only recognises their scientific contributions, but also their commitment to international knowledge transfer. As representatives of Ostfalia University, they contribute their expertise in the fields of recycling technologies, communication strategies and sustainable economic systems to a global network. Their keynote speeches at the conference also emphasised how crucial the combination of research, social communication and political implementation is for the success of sustainable innovations.
REVFIN at the centre of a plastics exhibition
The Phaeno Science Centre in Wolfsburg (external link, opens in a new window)is currently presenting the international environmental and recycling project in its plastics exhibition and bringing it to life with the help of a multimedia information station. At weekends, the "Future Lab Plastics" is also on offer, where visitors can make decorative cards from old fishing nets, among other things.
