ClimateFresk puzzle method: climate change you can touch

The seminar Trends in Finance, which addresses current topics, began at the Kufstein University of Applied Sciences in March 2025. Right at the start of the series of events, Prof. (FH) Dr. Dominika Galkiewicz outlined the shift in corporate culture toward greater sustainability and presented sustainability regulation(s) over time, the importance of which was reinforced by the Paris Agreement of 2015. Students learned what SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) are and why numerous other ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) indicators will gain importance in the future – she herself is conducting intensive research in this area.

Sustainable, practical, and interactive

In the first part of the seminar, the students presented their research findings on ATX and DAX companies, focusing on distinguishing green facts from fiction. The initial exercise on ESG regulation(s) and controlling was designed to help them build up sound ESG knowledge that will be highly useful for careers in finance, accounting, marketing, management, and sustainability. After a thorough analysis of the sustainability reports of various ATX and/or DAX companies, participants are now able to identify important indicators of ESG reporting in companies, similar to an assistant to a Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO).

In addition, the students analyzed the companies' websites and various social media channels (YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, but not TikTok) to explore how sustainable (financial) metrics are communicated to the general public using ESG marketing management. The diverse practical examples made the complex subject matter tangible and understandable for those present. The aim of the exercise was to enable students to outline the structure of a sustainability report and to reproduce best practices for sustainability-oriented communication in social media later in their careers. They were also expected to develop a sense of what can be considered greenwashing.

Structure of cause and effect

In the second part of the seminar, students were asked to put together the ClimateFresk (climate puzzle) with ClimateFresk moderator Dominika Galkiewicz in order to create the appropriate structure of cause and effect for the topic of climate change. The students engaged in lively and emotional discussions about cause and effect relationships and will now be able to present the topic of sustainability to outsiders and interested parties in a clear and concise manner. Overall, the students showed great interest in the topic and asked numerous questions about employment opportunities that are increasingly emerging and becoming more important in the context of the sustainability movement.

Innovative learning methods – from case studies to ClimateFresk

The University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol has always been open to new and innovative forms of teaching and learning. In this application example, students learned about the climate change and ESG-related legal requirements that companies must meet in the first part of the course. In the next part of the seminar, they had to analyze for themselves how the largest ATX30 and DAX40 companies are meeting these requirements and were amazed at how different the quality of reporting is. Many statements and facts that pointed more to greenwashing than to genuine climate commitment were exposed as such. In the third session, all participants in the Trends in Finance seminar were able to put together the climate puzzle under the guidance of Professor (FH) Dominika Galkiewicz. This holistic and agile teaching and learning approach, based on the use of the case studies developed in conjunction with the climate puzzle, proved its worth, providing valuable insights into practical issues. This innovative teaching method will be continued in the coming semesters as part of the International Business Studies degree program and beyond.

Links:

• International Business Studies | ft
• ClimateFresk | Website