Global change processes, such as climate change, digitalization, migration movements and economic crises, are among the greatest challenges of our time and also shape the Danube macro-region as a specifically challenging region of Europe. As part of the Danube:Future Interdisciplinary School 2017 in Krems 28 PhD-students and young scientists from Alps-Adriatic Rectors¿ Conference and the Danube Rectors¿ Conference universities discussed these questions and developed research proposals within this broad context. These proceedings offer a comprehensive overview of the generated work. The Danube:Future Interdisciplinary School is part of the Capacity Building Module of the Danube:Future project, a Flagship Project of the EUSDR ¿ the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region, in the Priority Area Knowledge Society. Danube:Future is a joint network project of the Alps-Adriatic Rectors¿ Conference and the Danube Rectors¿ Conference. It aims at capacity building in the Danube River Basin (DRB) and at providing networking to aid the development common research projects for a sustainable future of the DRB.