School of Sustainability
Organisational unit: Research School
- Centre for Sustainability Management (CSM)
- Institute of Ecology
- Institute of Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research
- Institute of Sustainability Governance
- Institute of Sustainability Material Flows and Circularity
- Institute of Sustainability Psychology
- Institute of Sustainable Chemistry
- Social-Ecological Systems Institute (SESI)
- Sustainability Education and Transdisciplinary Research Institute
Organisation profile
Sustainability has many facets. Inter- and transdisciplinary research and teaching characterize the School of Sustainability. Scientists in our research projects work together in the laboratory, on the heath, in the grassland, in the classroom, with the city administration, with farmers, with non-governmental organizations, with companies, with students in the lecture hall and of course at their desks.
Furthermore, we work with regional and national political actors, e.g. ministries, as well as international organizations, e.g. UNEP, UNESCO, EU. We are part of national and international bodies, e.g. sustainability advisory boards of companies, member of the German Sustainability Award, World Biodiversity Council (IPBES), in order to contribute to social change with scientific findings.
Main research areas
Vision
Sustainability science investigates on a theoretical, conceptual and empirical level how to promote sustainable development and how to find and implement effective solutions for current social and ecological challenges. The aim is to create a more sustainable future.
Sustainability researchers are called upon to take responsibility for their research, which is anchored in existing scientific knowledge and methods and serves to make the world a better place for everyone.
Mission
We promote change towards a sustainable future by developing theories, concepts and practices of inclusive education for sustainability, research, governance and management.
We acknowledge the diversity and dynamics of values, norms and behaviour and contribute with transdisciplinary methods to ensuring that tensions and differences between different disciplines, methods, topics and standards are fruitfully taken up and used with productive compromises and further developments towards sustainable development.
Principles
The School of Sustainability is guided by the normative concepts of ecological system integrity and social and economic justice.
Ecological system integrity refers to the safeguarding of life-support systems, as well as the maintenance of the well-being of life on Earth.
With social and economic justice we strive for a world in which all people can fulfil their potential without endangering system integrity and the well-being of others.
Information about the School
The School of Sustainability includes...
... ca. 25 professors
... ca. 100 research assistants
... ca. 1000 students in Bachelor and Master courses
In various inter- and transdisciplinary projects we are constantly researching and working together on changes and solutions for current challenges.
- 2025
Eine kleine Reise durch die faszinierende Welt der Ameisen
Staab, M. (Speaker)
18.11.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › talk or presentation in privat or public events › Transfer
Future Trends in Education
Hantke, H. (Speaker) & Hartmann, K. (Speaker)
13.11.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › talk or presentation in privat or public events › Transfer
Kolloquium zu Design-Based Research (DBR)
Brase, A. K. (Organiser), Hantke, H. (Organiser), Karber, A. (Organiser) & Reinmann, G. (Organiser)
10.11.2025Activity: Participating in or organising an academic or articstic event › Conferences › Research
Food Systems: Innovation and Resilience in a Changing World
Zuin Zeidler, V. (Speaker)
06.11.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › talk or presentation in privat or public events › Transfer
Landschaft im Wandel– Vergangenheit verstehen, Zukunft gestalten
Isaac, R. (Speaker) & Mayer, A. (Speaker)
05.11.2025Activity: Participating in or organising an academic or articstic event › External workshops, courses, seminars › Transfer
Invasive Ameisen: Arten, Eigenschaften, Konsequenzen für Lebensräume
Staab, M. (Speaker)
22.10.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Guest lectures › Transfer
Joint TreeDì – MultiTroph Conference
Staab, M. (Participant)
13.10.2025 → 17.10.2025Activity: Participating in or organising an academic or articstic event › Conferences › Research
Draußenlernen lernen – Wie bringen wir angehende Lehrkräfte als Teil ihrer Professionalisierung raus aus dem Klassenraum?
Grauer, C. (Speaker) & Perlinger, J. (Speaker)
29.09.2025 → 01.10.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
Die Qualität fachbezogener Unterrichtsdiskussionen in der kaufmännischen Berufsausbildung aus Sicht von Lernenden
Platz, L. (Speaker), Hantke, H. (Speaker) & Manzel, S. (Speaker)
25.09.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
Methodenwoche für empirische Bildungsforschung
Perlinger, J. (Organiser), Hantke, H. (Organiser), Karber, A. (Organiser) & Pietsch, M. (Organiser)
25.09.2025 → 27.09.2025Activity: Participating in or organising an academic or articstic event › Conferences › Research
Struktur-Bioabbaubarkeitsbeziehungen für die Entwicklung von in der Umwelt bioabbaubaren ionischen Flüssigkeiten
Amsel, A.-K. (Speaker), Chakravarti, S. (Coauthor), Olsson, O. (Coauthor) & Kümmerer, K. (Coauthor)
22.09.2025 → 24.09.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
53rd Annual Conference of the German Ecological Society
Isaac, R. (Moderator)
13.09.2025Activity: Participating in or organising an academic or articstic event › Conferences › Research
Annual Conference of the Ecological Society of Germany, Austria and Switzerland - GfÖ 2025
Staab, M. (Speaker)
01.09.2025Activity: Participating in or organising an academic or articstic event › Conferences › Research
ECPR General Conference 2025
Rose, M. (Organiser) & Mathis, O. L. (Organiser)
26.08.2025Activity: Participating in or organising an academic or articstic event › Conferences › Research
Structures and Limits of the Emerging German Sustainability State
Rose, M. (Speaker) & Mathis, O. L. (Coauthor)
26.08.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
Macro perspectives on a train-the-trainer-concept for sustainability-related education
Hantke, H. (Speaker)
25.07.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
Critical Global Citizenship Education in der Lehrkräftebildung
Grauer, C. (Speaker)
14.07.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Transfer
Ergebnisse und Perspektiven aus dem Kommunalen Nachhaltigkeitsbarometer Niedersachsen
Redenius, P. (Speaker)
02.07.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › talk or presentation in privat or public events › Transfer
Regionale Fallstudie: Transformation in Niedersachsen
Redenius, P. (Speaker) & Hartmann, E. (Speaker)
01.07.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
Amerikanische Universität Paris
Hantke, H. (Visiting researcher)
07.2025 → 09.2025Activity: Visiting an external institution › Visiting an external academic institution › Research
What Is Enough, Really? Rethinking Sustainability & Technology in Space Heating
Hartmann, E. (Speaker)
26.06.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
Sustainability Transformation: Building Resilience in Sustainability Reporting for a Net-Zero Future
Bertram, A. (Speaker)
19.06.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
Demokratiebildung als didaktische Querschnittsaufgabe – Perspektiven einer curricularen (Weiter-) Entwicklung
Hantke, H. (Speaker)
18.06.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Guest lectures › Education
Demokratiebildung in der Berufsbildung
Hantke, H. (Speaker)
16.06.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Transfer
Can holistic landscape restoration drive regenerative social-ecological change?
Isaac, R. (Speaker)
15.06.2025 → 20.06.2026Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
Finanzielle Zukünfte: Individuelles oder politisches Problem?
Hantke, H. (Speaker), Bonfig, A. (Speaker), Engartner, T. (Speaker), Greefrath, G. (Speaker), Hedtke, R. (Speaker), Heimrich, F. (Speaker), Hellmich, S. N. (Speaker), Reuter, L. (Speaker), Tille, L. (Speaker) & Meimann, G. (Speaker)
14.06.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Guest lectures › Transfer
A didactic design approach of a further education concept within VETSD
Hantke, H. (Speaker)
11.06.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
How to approach global inequalities in primary school teaching settings? Sharing some insights from applying the Ethical Global Issues Pedagogy framework with a group of pre-service teachers
Grauer, C. (Speaker)
04.06.2025 → 06.06.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
Negotiators Facing Externalities: An Experimental Investigation Into Negotiators’ Balancing of Multiple Conflicts of Interests
Schauer, M. (Speaker)
06.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
Academic education in the field of sustainable chemistry
Amsel, A.-K. (presenter), Holtmann, R. (Coauthor) & Kümmerer, K. (Coauthor)
12.05.2025 → 16.05.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Presentations (poster etc.) › Research
Demokratiebildung als Querschnittsaufgabe von Unterrichtsentwicklung im Kontext ganzheitlicher Schulentwicklung
Hantke, H. (Speaker)
12.05.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Guest lectures › Research
Modelling biodegradability based on OECD 301D data for the design of mineralising ionic liquids
Amsel, A.-K. (Speaker), Chakravarti, S. (Coauthor), Olsson, O. (Coauthor) & Kümmerer, K. (Coauthor)
12.05.2025 → 16.05.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
University of Western Australia
Isaac, R. (Visiting researcher)
05.05.2025 → 22.06.2025Activity: Visiting an external institution › Visiting an external academic institution › Research
Einblicke in den UNESCO-Chair on Higher Education for Sustainable Development
Hantke, H. (Speaker)
05.04.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › talk or presentation in privat or public events › Transfer
Environmental governance research - cumulative knowledge or fragmented adhocracy?
Newig, J. (Keynote Speaker) & Rose, M. (Keynote Speaker)
04.04.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › talk or presentation in privat or public events › Research
Förderung psychischer Gesundheit in der beruflichen Bildung: Status Quo und Perspektiven
Thole, C. (Speaker), Kähler, A.-F. (Coauthor), Hantke, H. (Coauthor), Kiepe, K. (Coauthor), Pargmann, J. (Coauthor) & Kick, C. (Coauthor)
27.03.2025 → 28.03.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Presentations (poster etc.) › Research
23. Hochschultage Berufliche Bildung - HTBB 2025
Kähler, A.-F. (Coauthor), Hantsch, R. (Coauthor), Casper, M. (Coauthor), Kiepe, K. (Coauthor), Hantke, H. (Coauthor), Hufnagl, J. (Coauthor), Heisler, D. (Coauthor), Schütt-Sayed, S. (Coauthor), Ansmann, M. (Coauthor), Kohl, M. (Coauthor), Thole, C. (Coauthor), Ciolek, S. (Coauthor), Diettrich, A. (Coauthor), Dück, F. (Coauthor), Haberzeth, E. (Coauthor), Harm, S. (Coauthor), Heitzhausen, S. (Coauthor), Hösel, F. (Coauthor), Kröhn, S. (Coauthor), Loy, S. (Coauthor), Müller, C. (Coauthor), Porath, J. (Coauthor), Pranger, J. (Coauthor), Reißland, J. (Coauthor) & Stoll, C. (Coauthor)
18.03.2025 → 19.03.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Presentations (poster etc.) › Transfer
Der „Whole School Approach“: Wo steht unsere Schule auf dem Weg zu einem nachhaltigen Lernort und wo können wir anpacken?
Hantke, H. (Speaker) & Kähler, A.-F. (Speaker)
18.03.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Transfer
Förderung von Transformationskompetenzen im Kontext wirtschaftsberuflichen Handelns – Didaktisch-methodische Gestaltungsansätze eines nachhaltigkeitsorientierten Weiterbildungskonzepts
Hantke, H. (Speaker) & Heitzhausen, S. (Speaker)
26.02.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
Das Losprinzip in der Demokratie – Welche Rolle können Bürgerräte für Politik und Gesetzgebung spielen?
Newig, J. (Speaker)
25.02.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › talk or presentation in privat or public events › Transfer
Perspektiven teilen – Transformation gestalten: Externalisierung des Inklusionsverständnisses mit Lego® Serious Play®
List, F. (Speaker), Schellig, H. (Speaker), Hofer, E. (Coauthor) & Abels, S. (Coauthor)
19.02.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
38. Jahrestagung der Inklusionsforscher:innen - IFO 2025
Abels, S. (Keynote Speaker)
18.02.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
38. Jahrestagung der Inklusionsforscher:innen - IFO 2025
List, F. (Participant) & Schellig, H. (Participant)
17.02.2025 → 19.02.2025Activity: Participating in or organising an academic or articstic event › Conferences › Research
Thinking of Time - A Resource which Should be Allocated Equally
Bertram, A. (Speaker)
06.02.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
Sustainability Accounting for a transformation to green hydrogen
Schaltegger, S. (Speaker)
30.01.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Guest lectures › Education
Gamification für den Artenschutz der Fledermaus nutzen
Krebs, A.-K. (Speaker)
12.01.2025 → 15.01.2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
Jurymitglied "Auszeichnung Umweltschule in Europa - Internationale Nachhaltigkeitsschule"
Grauer, C. (Reviewer)
2025Activity: Other expert activities › Other
“Legal Implications of the Designation of Area-Based Management Tools under the BBNJ Agreement in High Seas Areas above Extended Continental Shelves of Coastal States”
Schatz, V. (Speaker) & Bertram, A. (Speaker)
2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Conference Presentations › Research
“Marine Protected Areas under the BBNJ Agreement”
Bertram, A. (Speaker)
2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Guest lectures › Research
