The call for inter- and transdisciplinary scientific approaches forms the thread running through the anniversary festivities commemorating the 25-year existence of the DBU doctoral programs, which took place on 16 and 17 June at the DBU Center for Environmental Communication in Osnabrück. Integrated with this celebratory event was the graduation ceremony for DBU scholarship recipients who successfully completed their dissertations in 2016/2017. Around 80 scholarship recipients, alumni, curators and Selection Committee members, and DBU employees participated in the festivities.