Sowing Seeds of Spiritual Awakening for the Planet
5th Winter School of the University for Life & Peace Concludes Successfully
The 5th online Winter School of the University for Life & Peace (ULP) concluded successfully on the evening of April 13 (Taiwan time). Scholars, experts, and graduate students from around the world engaged in in-depth discussions and group presentations, exchanging ideas and perspectives on the future of sustainability. United by a shared hope to plant seeds of spiritual awakening, participants joined efforts to contribute to the Earth and envision a renewed ecological future.
A Rich and Expansive Curriculum — Broad Perspectives, Deep Inspiration
The Preparatory Office of the University for Life & Peace continues to shape a global platform for dialogue on sustainability. For this year's Winter School, faculty members from a diverse range of institutions were invited to deliver keynote speeches or participate in panel discussions. These included professors from Germany’s Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Passau University, and Zeppelin University in Friedrichshafen; Austria’s Catholic Private University of Linz and Johannes Kepler University; Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece; Yale University in the United States; and the University of Malaya. Joining them were entrepreneurs from Bavaria, Germany. The faculty brought together a wide range of professional expertise, forming a robust, cross-border, and interdisciplinary teaching team.
The curriculum for Winter School 2025 centered on the theme “Environmental Transformation and Socio-Economic Justice. Spiritual Resources for New Perception and Motivation.” The program unfolded across three thematic levels—Awareness and Consciousness, Healing the Planet, and Examples of Science and Technology in Action—Applying Spiritual Ecology and Permaculture to mitigate challenges and foster transformation. Drawing on diverse perspectives from Catholicism, Islam, Confucianism**,** and Indigenous Cosmovision and Spiritual Ecology, the curriculum explored intersections with rational economics, management, ecological ethics and transformation, global economic sustainability, perceptual psychology, and the humanities and arts. With seven keynote lectures and two panel discussions, the program offered both depth and breadth of insight, sparking meaningful inspiration for the student participants.
In His Closing Remarks, Dharma Master Hsin Tao Gave Thanks for the Positive Karmic Connections
Dharma Master Hsin Tao, founder of the University for Life & Peace and abbot of Ling Jiou Mountain, began each session of the Winter School with a guided Peace Chan meditation, inviting all faculty and students to center themselves in stillness before engaging in the day’s courses and discussions. He also joined online to listen to keynote lectures and student presentations, offering his encouragement and support. He affirmed that the discussions and the exchange of ideas among the faculty and students represented a vital source of energy for ecology and a deeply meaningful process in itself.
In his closing remarks at the Winter School, Dharma Master Hsin Tao expressed heartfelt gratitude for this connection, for gathering virtually out of concern for the Earth’s well-being and humanity’s sustainable future. He emphasized that the sessions explored how we might live in symbiosis with the planet and our interdependent environment. He praised all participants for their compassion and moral awareness, stating that spirituality is essentially the manifestation of conscience. The Master encouraged deep reflection on how we might effectively use technology to bring spiritual awakening to the world, ultimately contributing to a regenerative, circular economy.
The Online Courses Were Engaging, and the Professors' Lectures Were Exceptionally Captivating
The courses this year were highly engaging, balancing academic theory with practical applications. Professor Michael Rosenberger from the Catholic University of Linz, Austria, and Professor Markus Vogt, a social ethicist from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany, both approached their subjects from a Christian perspective. They urged humanity to connect with all of creation through a lens of pure compassion, while taking concrete responsibility for nature, others, and future generations.
Azizan Baharuddin, Distinguished Professor at the University of Malaya, grounded his discussion in Islamic teachings, highlighting humanity’s responsibility to protect the Earth. He emphasized the importance of ecological justice, interfaith collaboration, and the urgency of sustainable development. Professor Mary Evelyn Tucker from Yale University focused her lecture on the theme of "Ecological Civilization and Confucian Spirituality," offering insights into how the thought of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism have profoundly influenced the development of contemporary ecological civilization.
Professor John Grim, co-founder of Yale University's "Religion and Ecology" program, delved deeply into indigenous peoples' relational understanding of nature, suggesting their potential contributions to addressing contemporary ecological crises.
Professor Ernst Pöppel of Munich University explored the connection between spirituality and perception from a sensory experience perspective, integrating personal experiences with philosophy and science.
Markus Bogner, a Bavarian entrepreneur, delivered a speech based on a real-life case from southern Germany. His talk, titled "A Transformed Perspective: The Key to Practicing Sustainability," emphasized that small-scale agriculture is at the core of sustainable farming. The focus should be on collaborating with nature and rediscovering respect for the land and food, rather than pursuing excessive production.
Rich Content of the Professors’ Arguments Led to Lively Discussions
Both forums featured lively exchanges. The first session, co-chaired by Professor Dorothea Greiling from Johannes Kepler University in Linz, Austria, and Professor Josef Wieland from Zeppelin University, also in Austria, explored how businesses can create shared value and take on social responsibility for environmental protection from the perspective of circular economics. The second forum, moderated by Professor Werner Gamerith from Passau University in Germany, examined Constraints and Opportunities by Geographical and Legal Conditions.
Research students were divided into two main discussion groups: 'Spirituality and Technology' and 'Spirituality and Justice.' Throughout the program, professors presented a range of profound thought-provoking questions, such as: 'How can we reshape the values of spiritual ecology?', 'How can AI be leveraged to support ecology and connect people?', and 'How can meditation improve both our lives and the environment?' Winter School 2025 concluded on April 13, with Professor Michael von Brück offering eight key conclusions summarizing the course. These conclusions will serve as the foundation for further discussions and brainstorming by the research students as they develop their theses, which are expected to be presented in May. In a heartfelt online farewell, faculty and students exchanged gratitude and goodbyes, bringing the Winter School 2025 to a successful conclusion.
A Rich and Expansive Curriculum — Broad Perspectives, Deep Inspiration
The Preparatory Office of the University for Life & Peace continues to shape a global platform for dialogue on sustainability. For this year's Winter School, faculty members from a diverse range of institutions were invited to deliver keynote speeches or participate in panel discussions. These included professors from Germany’s Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Passau University, and Zeppelin University in Friedrichshafen; Austria’s Catholic Private University of Linz and Johannes Kepler University; Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece; Yale University in the United States; and the University of Malaya. Joining them were entrepreneurs from Bavaria, Germany. The faculty brought together a wide range of professional expertise, forming a robust, cross-border, and interdisciplinary teaching team.
The curriculum for Winter School 2025 centered on the theme “Environmental Transformation and Socio-Economic Justice. Spiritual Resources for New Perception and Motivation.” The program unfolded across three thematic levels—Awareness and Consciousness, Healing the Planet, and Examples of Science and Technology in Action—Applying Spiritual Ecology and Permaculture to mitigate challenges and foster transformation. Drawing on diverse perspectives from Catholicism, Islam, Confucianism**,** and Indigenous Cosmovision and Spiritual Ecology, the curriculum explored intersections with rational economics, management, ecological ethics and transformation, global economic sustainability, perceptual psychology, and the humanities and arts. With seven keynote lectures and two panel discussions, the program offered both depth and breadth of insight, sparking meaningful inspiration for the student participants.
In His Closing Remarks, Dharma Master Hsin Tao Gave Thanks for the Positive Karmic Connections
Dharma Master Hsin Tao, founder of the University for Life & Peace and abbot of Ling Jiou Mountain, began each session of the Winter School with a guided Peace Chan meditation, inviting all faculty and students to center themselves in stillness before engaging in the day’s courses and discussions. He also joined online to listen to keynote lectures and student presentations, offering his encouragement and support. He affirmed that the discussions and the exchange of ideas among the faculty and students represented a vital source of energy for ecology and a deeply meaningful process in itself.
In his closing remarks at the Winter School, Dharma Master Hsin Tao expressed heartfelt gratitude for this connection, for gathering virtually out of concern for the Earth’s well-being and humanity’s sustainable future. He emphasized that the sessions explored how we might live in symbiosis with the planet and our interdependent environment. He praised all participants for their compassion and moral awareness, stating that spirituality is essentially the manifestation of conscience. The Master encouraged deep reflection on how we might effectively use technology to bring spiritual awakening to the world, ultimately contributing to a regenerative, circular economy.
The Online Courses Were Engaging, and the Professors' Lectures Were Exceptionally Captivating
The courses this year were highly engaging, balancing academic theory with practical applications. Professor Michael Rosenberger from the Catholic University of Linz, Austria, and Professor Markus Vogt, a social ethicist from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany, both approached their subjects from a Christian perspective. They urged humanity to connect with all of creation through a lens of pure compassion, while taking concrete responsibility for nature, others, and future generations.
Azizan Baharuddin, Distinguished Professor at the University of Malaya, grounded his discussion in Islamic teachings, highlighting humanity’s responsibility to protect the Earth. He emphasized the importance of ecological justice, interfaith collaboration, and the urgency of sustainable development. Professor Mary Evelyn Tucker from Yale University focused her lecture on the theme of "Ecological Civilization and Confucian Spirituality," offering insights into how the thought of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism have profoundly influenced the development of contemporary ecological civilization.
Professor John Grim, co-founder of Yale University's "Religion and Ecology" program, delved deeply into indigenous peoples' relational understanding of nature, suggesting their potential contributions to addressing contemporary ecological crises.
Professor Ernst Pöppel of Munich University explored the connection between spirituality and perception from a sensory experience perspective, integrating personal experiences with philosophy and science.
Markus Bogner, a Bavarian entrepreneur, delivered a speech based on a real-life case from southern Germany. His talk, titled "A Transformed Perspective: The Key to Practicing Sustainability," emphasized that small-scale agriculture is at the core of sustainable farming. The focus should be on collaborating with nature and rediscovering respect for the land and food, rather than pursuing excessive production.
Rich Content of the Professors’ Arguments Led to Lively Discussions
Both forums featured lively exchanges. The first session, co-chaired by Professor Dorothea Greiling from Johannes Kepler University in Linz, Austria, and Professor Josef Wieland from Zeppelin University, also in Austria, explored how businesses can create shared value and take on social responsibility for environmental protection from the perspective of circular economics. The second forum, moderated by Professor Werner Gamerith from Passau University in Germany, examined Constraints and Opportunities by Geographical and Legal Conditions.
Research students were divided into two main discussion groups: 'Spirituality and Technology' and 'Spirituality and Justice.' Throughout the program, professors presented a range of profound thought-provoking questions, such as: 'How can we reshape the values of spiritual ecology?', 'How can AI be leveraged to support ecology and connect people?', and 'How can meditation improve both our lives and the environment?' Winter School 2025 concluded on April 13, with Professor Michael von Brück offering eight key conclusions summarizing the course. These conclusions will serve as the foundation for further discussions and brainstorming by the research students as they develop their theses, which are expected to be presented in May. In a heartfelt online farewell, faculty and students exchanged gratitude and goodbyes, bringing the Winter School 2025 to a successful conclusion.