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.

  1. Umweltauswirkungen von Umckaloabo

    Kümmerer, K. (Project manager, academic)

    01.10.1030.09.11

    Project: Research

  2. BETA-FOR: Understorey plant assemblages and primary production

    von Oheimb, G. (Project manager, academic) & Fichtner, A. (Project manager, academic)

    01.05.2201.05.26

    Project: Research

  3. VaNaTe: Unravelling the relation between Values of Nature and Telecoupling

    Loos, J. (Project manager, academic)

    01.05.2330.04.26

    Project: Research

  4. Verwertung evokativer unternehmerischer Ansätze für Umwelt und Gesellschaft

    Halberstadt, J. (Project manager, academic)

    01.12.1630.11.20

    Project: Other

  5. TrICo Subproject: Community Sustainable Production

    Ben Khalifa, N. (Project manager, academic), Heger, J. (Project manager, academic), Klusemann, B. (Project manager, academic), Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic), Schmidt, M. (Project manager, academic), Schulz, J. (Project staff), Stöver, E. (Partner), Dieringa, H. (Partner), Zeise, P. (Project staff), Hendriok, L. (Project staff) & Krämer, R. (Project staff)

    01.08.2331.12.27

    Project: Transfer (Scientific Services)

  6. 4th International Conference »Higher Education for Sustainable Development: Moving the Agenda Forward«

    Adomßent, M. (Coordination), Bartsch, C. (Coordination), Fischer, D. (Coordination), Godemann, J. (Coordination), Herzig, C. (Coordination), Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic), Otte, I. (Coordination) & Timm, J.-M. (Coordination)

    14.09.1116.09.11

    Project: Scientific event

  7. ABG_CSCT

    Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic) & Godemann, J. (Project manager, academic)

    Europäische Union

    01.10.0419.05.10

    Project: Other

  8. Nutzerbefragung Klimanavigator

    Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic) & Sundermann, A. (Project manager, academic)

    01.12.1326.06.15

    Project: Research

  9. Digidok: Das Versuchsprotokoll 2.0 - aus analog wird digital

    Abels, S. (Project manager, academic) & Stinken-Rösner, L. (Project staff)

    01.01.2231.12.22

    Project: Research

  10. KEMOV: Konzeption und Evaluierung eines Mindset-orientierten Verhandlungstrainings

    Trötschel, R. (Project manager, academic), Warsitzka, M. (Project manager, academic) & Mann, M. (Project staff)

    01.08.2015.10.23

    Project: Research

  11. BINK: Educational Institutions and Sustainable Consumption

    Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic), Fischer, D. (Project manager, academic) & Richter, S. (Project manager, academic)

    Federal Ministry of Education and Research

    01.06.0830.04.12

    Project: Research

  12. UROC - Living Campus Accelerator Toolkit

    Lang, D. J. (Project manager, academic) & Schäpke, N. (Coordination)

    03.02.1715.03.18

    Project: Research

  13. Impacts of plant invasions on the taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional homogeni-zation of mountain ecosystems across a broad latitudinal gradient

    Haider, S. (Project staff), Pauchard, A. (Project manager, academic), Cavieres, L. (Project manager, academic), Bustamante, R. (Project manager, academic), García, R. A. (Project manager, academic) & Marticorena, A. (Project manager, academic)

    01.01.1831.12.22

    Project: Research

  14. Responses of plant performance and functional diversity along a climate and land-use gradient in Mongolia

    von Wehrden, H. (Project manager, academic), Wesche, K. (Project manager, academic) & Römermann, C. (Project manager, academic)

    German Research Foundation

    01.05.1431.08.19

    Project: Research

  15. AnSCHub 2010: Social Entrepreneurship Conference

    Beckmann, M. (Project manager, academic) & Zeyen, A. (Project staff)

    European Haniel Program on Entrepreneurship and the Humanities

    01.05.1002.03.11

    Project: Scientific event

  16. INFERNUM: M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences - Infernum

    Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic), Wüst, S. (Project staff) & Sachs, B. (Project staff)

    27.03.00 → …

    Project: Transfer (professional training)

  17. Effects of climate and land use on the functional composition of plant communities and their ecosystem services

    Haider, S. (Project manager, academic) & Kühn, I. (Project manager, academic)

    01.01.1431.12.16

    Project: Research

  18. Eine Trainingsstudie zum sozialen und emotionalen Lernen im Kindergarten

    Salisch, M. (Project manager, academic)

    01.10.0831.05.12

    Project: Research

  19. Outreach: Sustainability as a challenge for the export economy

    Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic), Schock, M. (Project staff) & Buttscher, C. (Project staff)

    01.01.0819.08.09

    Project: Research

  20. RangeX: Mechanisms underlying the success and impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning of range-expanding species under climate change

    Haider, S. (Project manager, academic), Buhaly, M. (Project staff), Alexander, J. M. (Coordination), Clark, V. R. (Partner), Høye, T. T. (Partner), Kardol, P. (Partner) & Vandvik, V. (Partner)

    01.04.2131.03.25

    Project: Research

  21. Künstlerisch-wissenschaftliche Politik- und Öffentlichkeitsberatung

    Heinrichs, H. (Project manager, academic)

    01.03.2028.02.21

    Project: Research

  22. Atempause: Eine tägliche Kurzintervention zur Achtsamkeit bei Grundschulkindern

    Salisch, M. (Project manager, academic), Bergold, J. (Project manager, academic) & Voltmer, K. (Project manager, academic)

    Ministry of Science and Culture of the State of Lower Saxony

    01.10.1930.09.23

    Project: Research

  23. ISC3: Internationales Kooperationszentrum Nachhaltige Chemie ISC3 Phase II

    Kümmerer, K. (Project manager, academic)

    01.01.2131.12.24

    Project: Other

  24. Entwicklung, Erprobung und Evaluierung von Pilotmodulen für einen praxisorientierten Fernstudiengang zur Weiterbildung kommunaler Angestellter in Lettland.

    Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic) & Lütkemöller, D. (Project manager, academic)

    01.01.9931.12.00

    Project: Research

  25. Evaluation der Sportgerichtsurteile des HFV der Saison 2007/2008

    Zick, A. (Project manager, academic), Winands, M. (Project staff) & Scherer, J. (Project staff)

    01.06.0830.09.10

    Project: Research

  26. CONSUS: CONSUS - Connecting Science-Society Collaborations for Sustainable Innovations

    Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic), Mader, M. (Coordination), Burandt, S. (Project manager, academic) & Adomßent, M. (Project staff)

    01.12.1331.03.19

    Project: Transfer (R&D project)

  27. Umweltbildung unter globalen Perspektiven

    Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic)

    01.01.9531.12.96

    Project: Research

  28. PREMIER: Prioritisation and Risk Evaluation of Medicines in the EnviRonment

    Kümmerer, K. (Project manager, academic), Olsson, O. (Project manager, academic) & Puhlmann, N. (Project staff)

    Europäische Union

    01.09.2031.08.26

    Project: Research

  29. ZZL-Netzwerk 2.0: Theorie-Praxis-Verzahnung in der Lehrerbildung in den Handlungsfeldern „Kompetenzorientierter Unterricht“, „Inklusion“, „Coaching & Mentoring“ und „Lehrkräftegesundheit“

    Ehmke, T. (Project manager, academic), Leiss, D. (Project manager, academic), Schmidt, T. (Project manager, academic), Weinhold, S. (Project manager, academic), Straub, R. P. (Project staff), Schilling, L. (Project staff), Besser, M. (Project manager, academic), Fischer-Schöneborn, S. (Coordination), Bormann, F. (Project staff), Kuchenbuch, F. (Project staff), Ahlers, M. (Partner), Verbücheln, E.-M. (Project staff), Barth, M. (Partner), Jastrow, F. (Project staff), Süßenbach, J. (Partner), Anders, D. (Project staff), Kleinknecht, M. (Partner), Hohensee, E. (Project staff), Schiemann, S. (Partner), Paulus, P. (Partner), Claußen, J. T. (Project staff), Poschkamp, A.-K. (Project staff), Köllner, G. (Project staff), Hüfner, S. K. (Project staff), Schürmann, H. (Project staff) & Abels, S. (Partner)

    Federal Ministry of Education and Research

    01.07.1931.12.23

    Project: Transfer (R&D project)

  30. B3P: Basisprogramm Praxisphase

    Vilsmaier, U. (Project manager, academic), Adomßent, M. (Project manager, academic), Seifert, A. (Partner), Nietzky, P. (Partner) & Guhl, K. (Project manager, academic)

    01.04.1230.09.14

    Project: Teaching

  31. FSM III: International Leadership Training (ILT) Sustainibility Management - Onlinephase Jahrgang III

    Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic) & Grimm, J. (Project staff)

    01.03.1104.04.12

    Project: Transfer (professional training)

  32. Postdoc Academy: Seminar 1st course cycle

    Lang, D. J. (Project manager, academic) & Barth, M. (Project manager, academic)

    Robert-Bosch Foundation

    15.11.1815.07.19

    Project: Other

  33. Decolonising and Diversifying the Curriculum

    Brogan, A. (Project manager, academic), Hobuß, S. (Project staff), Bremer, V. (Project staff), Edlich, M. G. P. (Project staff), List, F. (Project staff) & Lommel, L. (Project staff)

    28.06.23 → …

    Project: Teaching

  34. Umweltverträgliches Rodentizid

    Kümmerer, K. (Project manager, academic)

    01.06.1930.11.20

    Project: Research

  35. ETH-Coffee: Towards a Sustainable Bioeconomy: A Scenario Analysis for the Jimma Coffee Landscape in Ethiopia

    Fischer, J. (Project manager, academic), Schultner, J. (Project manager, academic), Abson, D. (Project manager, academic), Duguma, D. W. (Project manager, academic), Jiren, T. S. (Project staff) & Brück, M. (Project staff)

    Federal Ministry of Education and Research

    01.11.1931.08.23

    Project: Research

  36. HyperSys: High Perfomance Analytical System

    Kümmerer, K. (Project manager, academic)

    Europäische Union

    15.11.2131.03.23

    Project: Research

  37. Dilationswachstum

    Härdtle, W. (Project manager, academic)

    15.06.0828.08.09

    Project: Transfer (R&D project)

  38. SCHub: Social Change Hub

    Beckmann, M. (Project manager, academic), Zeyen, A. (Coordination) & Halberstadt, J. (Project manager, academic)

    14.04.0930.09.14

    Project: Teaching

  39. Process Gains and Process Losses in Negotiations

    Trötschel, R. (Project manager, academic), Schulz-Hardt, S. (Project manager, academic), Reichold, J. (Project manager, academic) & Warsitzka, M. (Project manager, academic)

    German Research Foundation

    01.04.1630.09.18

    Project: Research

  40. Tagung "Methoden in der Umweltbildungsforschung" (Jagdschloß Göhrde, 2.-5.12.1997)

    Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic)

    01.10.9730.11.98

    Project: Scientific event

  41. UE4SD: University Educators for Sustainable Development

    Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic), Mader, M. (Coordination), Mader, C. (Project staff) & Burandt, S. (Project staff)

    01.10.1319.09.17

    Project: Transfer (R&D project)

  42. ICAEW: Accounting information and the accounting function in sustainability management

    Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic), Bennett, M. (Partner) & Zvezdov, D. (Project staff)

    01.09.0811.02.11

    Project: Research

  43. Master Course Integrated Flood Risk Management

    Evers, M. (Project manager, academic)

    01.10.1031.05.11

    Project: Teaching

  44. Nachhaltigkeitskompetenzen von Führungspersonen in Kommunalverwaltungen

    Plawitzki, J. (Project manager, academic) & Heinrichs, H. (Project manager, academic)

    01.04.1431.03.18

    Project: Dissertation project

  45. Sustainability Communications (Machbarkeitsstudie)

    Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic), Godemann, J. (Project manager, academic) & Franz-Balsen, A. (Project manager, academic)

    01.01.0231.12.03

    Project: Research

  46. Move'n'Sense: Sense of place and mobility in cross-border contexts – essentialist and progressive perspectives

    Gottwald, S. (Project manager, academic) & Kołodyńska, I. (Project manager, academic)

    German Research Foundation

    05.11.2102.01.25

    Project: Research

  47. Project “Soils in the Media: Soil Topics on Youtube”

    Lütkemöller, D. (Project manager, academic), Luenststaeden, B. (Project staff), Skubowius, K. M. (Project staff) & Beier, A. (Project staff)

    01.03.1301.12.13

    Project: Other

  48. Sustainable Solutions in Intergenerational Conflicts

    Majer, J. (Project manager, academic), Schütte, C. (Project staff) & Trötschel, R. (Partner)

    01.05.19 → …

    Project: Research

  49. Mit dem Bus zur Schule

    Stoltenberg, U. (Project manager, academic), Berthold, A. (Project staff), Baum, R. (Project staff) & Röpke, S. (Project staff)

    01.07.0531.12.05

    Project: Other

  50. Dow Green Chemistry Education Award

    Zuin Zeidler, V. (Project manager, academic)

    25.04.2531.12.25

    Project: Individual grant

  51. Evaluation des Greenteam-Konzepts in Deutschland

    Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic), Degenhardt, L. (Project manager, academic), Godemann, J. (Project manager, academic) & Molitor, H. (Project manager, academic)

    01.04.9931.08.00

    Project: Research

  52. Linkages between plant diversity, microbial diversity and ecosystem functioning in subtropical forest

    Haider, S. (Partner), Bruelheide, H. (Partner), Ma, K. (Partner), Erfmeier, A. (Partner), Liang, Y. (Partner), Liu, X. (Partner), Trogisch, S. (Project manager, academic), Wubet, T. (Partner) & Zhang, N. (Partner)

    01.01.1531.12.19

    Project: Research

  53. 04OE045: BioRegal

    Burandt, A. (Project staff)

    01.07.0631.07.07

    Project: Transfer (R&D project)

  54. ZIM - Kälteabsorptionsanlagen

    Ruck, W. (Project manager, academic)

    01.01.1517.11.20

    Project: Transfer (R&D project)

  55. HYACINTH: Hydrogen acceptance in the transition phase

    Upham, P. (Project manager, academic) & Bögel, P. M. (Project staff)

    01.09.1401.06.18

    Project: Research

  56. Machbarkeitsstudie zur Entwicklung eines FKU-Masterprogramms

    Adomßent, M. (Project manager, academic)

    01.01.0331.12.03

    Project: Research

  57. Sustainability education - capacity building for teachers

    Barth, M. (Project manager, academic) & Redman, A. (Project staff)

    14.03.1731.05.19

    Project: Research

  58. Model adaptation and study site determination for environmental fate research of veterinary antibiotics in Lüneburg

    Gaßmann, M. (Project manager, academic) & Kümmerer, K. (Project manager, academic)

    01.09.1430.04.15

    Project: Research

  59. CODIP: Competences for Digital-Enhanced Individualized Practice

    Ahlers, M. (Project manager, academic), Besser, M. (Project manager, academic), Kuhl, P. (Project manager, academic), Lehr, D. (Partner), Süßenbach, J. (Partner), Schmidt, T. (Partner), Herzog, C. (Coordination), Altenburger, L. (Project staff), Diekhoff, H. (Project staff), Hase, A. K. (Project staff), Kahnbach, L. (Project staff), Wendt, C. (Project staff), Wucherpfennig, S. (Project staff), Horst de Cuestas, K. (Project staff) & Neumann, A. (Partner)

    Federal Ministry of Education and Research

    01.03.2031.12.23

    Project: Research

  60. Research Consortium ‘Sustainability governance of global value chains’

    Newig, J. (Project manager, academic), Bülow, F. (Project manager, academic) & Ehbauer, B. (Project staff)

    01.08.2431.07.28

    Project: Research

  61. Forschungskostenz. Stipendium Evely Araripe

    Kümmerer, K. (Project manager, academic)

    Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

    01.11.2131.03.22

    Project: Individual grant

  62. Strategic Marketing and Corporate Reputation towards Corporate Sustainability

    Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic) & Lee, K.-H. (Project manager, academic)

    21.09.0929.04.10

    Project: Research

  63. Indicators for Education for Sustainable Development

    Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic), Adomßent, M. (Project staff) & Burandt, S. (Project staff)

    Federal Ministry of Education and Research

    01.02.0831.08.10

    Project: Research

  64. IRISS: The InteRnatIonal ecosystem for accelerating the transition to Safe-and-Sustainable-by-design materials, products and processes

    Kümmerer, K. (Project manager, academic), Olsson, O. (Project manager, academic) & Apel, C. (Project staff)

    01.06.2231.05.25

    Project: Research

  65. Political Leadership as a Key Driver towards Sustainability.

    von Stauffenberg, A.-K. (Project manager, academic) & Heinrichs, H. (Project manager, academic)

    01.10.1912.12.23

    Project: Dissertation project

  66. REDD+ and the changing politics and economics of forest protection in Indonesia

    McGregor, A. (Project manager, academic), Challies, E. (Partner), Gavin, M. (Partner), Weaver, S. (Partner) & Tacconi, L. (Partner)

    01.01.12 → …

    Project: Research

  67. SAFECOAST : SAFECOAST: "The informed society". Analysis and strategy development for risk communication and coastal protection

    Heinrichs, H. (Project manager, academic), Grunenberg, H. (Project staff), Knolle, M. (Project staff) & Lüdecke, G. (Project staff)

    01.10.0631.03.08

    Project: Research