Workshop in honour of Dr Tilman Altenburg: Lessons for the Future

On 9 May 2025, IDOS hosted a special event to honour Dr Tilman Altenburg, on the occasion of his retirement. Under the theme “Green Economic Policy and Development Research Lessons for the Future”, the workshop explored the future of green economic policy and development research – two fields that Tilman profoundly shaped over his 30-year career.

Although Tilman has retired as Head of Department, he will continue to contribute to IDOS’ research and policy advice in the coming months. Prof. Markus Loewe took over the position as interim Head of the Research Department “Transformation of Economic and Social Systems” in co-leadership with Prof. Clara Brandi.

The workshop in honour of Tilman brought together researchers, policymakers, and long-time colleagues to engage in critical discussions inspired by Tilman’s legacy of bridging academic excellence and policy relevance.

The workshop featured three panels. The first addressed the question, What is good green economic policy? As economies worldwide strive to decarbonise and become more circular, panellists tackled the challenge of making green alternatives viable in markets that continue to externalise environmental costs. The conversation highlighted how political narratives, particularly from populist camps, increasingly frame climate action as an “eco-dictatorship.” Experts debated how to design inclusive and realistic policy mixes that can reconcile sustainability goals with social and economic priorities.

The second panel turned inward, asking, What is good development research? Here, participants explored the tension between academic rigour and real-world relevance. In a time when development policy is under scrutiny and demands for impact grow louder, the panel addressed the difficulty of producing research that speaks both to scholarly debates and to policymakers‘ practical concerns. The discussion echoed one of Tilman’s core convictions: that transformative research must not only be methodologically sound, but also context-aware and actionable.

The final session was a celebration of Tilman Altenburg’s immense contributions. As a researcher, he has pushed the boundaries of knowledge, for example on green industrial policy. As a policy advisor, he has always kept an eye on the “big picture.” As a science manager, he helped shape IDOS into the institution it is today. As a team leader, he has been both demanding and deeply supportive, setting high standards while leading by example.

We thank you, Tilman – we celebrate you not only as a distinguished expert, but also as a colleague, mentor, and friend.