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.
Umweltverträgliches Rodentizid
Kümmerer, K. (Project manager, academic)
01.06.19 → 30.11.20
Project: Research
Schaffleisch: Aufbau eines Netzwerkes zur Förderung der Vermarktung von Schaffleisch aus dem Gebiet des NSG Lüneburger Heide
Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic) & Müller, J. (Project staff)
29.07.04 → 31.12.04
Project: Practical Project
Literaturstudie zu empirischen, ökologischen Wirkungsschwellen (empirische Critical Loads - ClempN) für den Stickstoffeintrag in natürliche und naturnahe Ökosysteme
Härdtle, W. (Project manager, academic)
10.10.11 → 03.12.12
Project: Research
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
01.11.19 → 31.08.23
Project: Research
Development of sustainable as well as environmental-friendly, adaptive and cost-effective technical protection measures for sandy beaches
Brinkmann, B. (Project manager, academic)
Federal Ministry of Education and Research
01.04.10 → 30.09.12
Project: Research
HyperSys: High Perfomance Analytical System
Kümmerer, K. (Project manager, academic)
15.11.21 → 31.03.23
Project: Research
Dilationswachstum
Härdtle, W. (Project manager, academic)
15.06.08 → 28.08.09
Project: Transfer (R&D project)
SCHub: Social Change Hub
Beckmann, M. (Project manager, academic), Zeyen, A. (Coordination) & Halberstadt, J. (Project manager, academic)
14.04.09 → 30.09.14
Project: Teaching
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)
01.04.16 → 30.09.18
Project: Research
Machbarkeitsstudie zur Operationalisierung einer interaktiven, virtuell unterstützten Lernumgebung zur Stärkung von Nachhaltigkeitskompetenzen
von Wehrden, H. (Project manager, academic)
German Federal Environmental Foundation
01.11.21 → 28.02.23
Project: Research
Nachhaltigkeit in Bildungsinstitutionen in Schleswig-Holstein (NaBiSch): Recherche, Entwicklung eines Bildungskonzepts, Begleitung einer Zielgruppe und Evaluation
Stoltenberg, U. (Project manager, academic), Adomßent, M. (Project staff) & Rieckmann, M. (Project staff)
01.12.03 → 31.12.04
Project: Transfer (R&D project)
Tagung "Methoden in der Umweltbildungsforschung" (Jagdschloß Göhrde, 2.-5.12.1997)
Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic)
01.10.97 → 30.11.98
Project: Scientific event
Ecological valuation of crop pollination in traditional indonesian homegardens
Klein, A.-M. (Project manager, academic)
01.05.11 → 09.09.13
Project: Research
UE4SD: University Educators for Sustainable Development
Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic), Mader, M. (Coordination), Mader, C. (Project staff) & Burandt, S. (Project staff)
01.10.13 → 19.09.17
Project: Transfer (R&D project)
Koordinatorin des Moduls "Wissenschaft trägt Verantwortung" im Leuphana-Semester am Institut für Umweltkommunikation
Burandt, A. (Coordination)
01.07.07 → 30.04.08
Project: Teaching
ICAEW: Accounting information and the accounting function in sustainability management
Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic), Bennett, M. (Partner) & Zvezdov, D. (Project staff)
01.09.08 → 11.02.11
Project: Research
MERU: “Holistic management of energy- and resource efficiency in companies” (MERU)
Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic), Wüst, S. (Project staff) & Norris, S. (Project staff)
Federal Ministry of Education and Research
01.11.18 → 31.12.22
Project: Research
Master Course Integrated Flood Risk Management
Evers, M. (Project manager, academic)
01.10.10 → 31.05.11
Project: Teaching
Nachhaltigkeitskompetenzen von Führungspersonen in Kommunalverwaltungen
Plawitzki, J. (Project manager, academic) & Heinrichs, H. (Project manager, academic)
01.04.14 → 31.03.18
Project: Dissertation project
Sustainability Communications (Machbarkeitsstudie)
Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic), Godemann, J. (Project manager, academic) & Franz-Balsen, A. (Project manager, academic)
01.01.02 → 31.12.03
Project: Research
Lipidprofil: Das Lipidprofil des initialen oralen Biofilms - Charakterisierung und prophylaktische Modifikation
Kümmerer, K. (Project manager, academic) & Reich, M. (Project staff)
01.11.10 → 16.07.13
Project: Research
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)
05.11.21 → 02.01.25
Project: Research
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)
01.03.13 → 01.12.13
Project: Other
Sustainable Solutions in Intergenerational Conflicts
Majer, J. (Project manager, academic), Schütte, C. (Project staff) & Trötschel, R. (Partner)
01.05.19 → …
Project: Research
Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung – am Beispiel des Themenfelds Mobilität. Ein Modellseminar zur Weiterbildung von Multiplikatorinnen und Multiplikatoren für Schulentwicklung und für Lehrpersonen in Studienseminaren für die 2. Phase der LehrerInnenbildung
Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic)
01.05.08 → 31.12.08
Project: Research
Sustainability economic analysis of a large-scale ancient infrastructure project for irrigated agriculture: the Habur Canal in Assyria in the 13th century BC.
Baumgärtner, S. (Project manager, academic) & Biehler, A. M. (Project staff)
01.01.12 → 30.06.13
Project: Research
Umweltwissenschaftliche Institutionenentwicklung und Aufbau universitärer Umweltbildung
Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic)
01.01.00 → 31.12.00
Project: Research
Mit dem Bus zur Schule
Stoltenberg, U. (Project manager, academic), Berthold, A. (Project staff), Baum, R. (Project staff) & Röpke, S. (Project staff)
01.07.05 → 31.12.05
Project: Other
Dow Green Chemistry Education Award
Zuin Zeidler, V. (Project manager, academic)
25.04.25 → 31.12.25
Project: Individual grant
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)
01.04.99 → 31.08.00
Project: Research
Geschlecht und sexuelle Orientierung als Achsen adoleszenter Zugehörigkeitsarbeit. Zur Professionalisierung geschlechtersensibler politischer Jugendbildung
Offen, S. (Project manager, academic)
01.02.09 → 01.11.12
Project: Dissertation project
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)
01.01.15 → 31.12.19
Project: Research
C2C-Modellregion: Modellvorhaben: Neue Strategien und Strukturen für eine Cradle to Cradle Modellregion in Nordost-Niedersachsen
Braungart, M. (Project manager, academic)
01.06.21 → 30.04.24
Project: Research
ZIM - Kälteabsorptionsanlagen
Ruck, W. (Project manager, academic)
01.01.15 → 17.11.20
Project: Transfer (R&D project)
HYACINTH: Hydrogen acceptance in the transition phase
Upham, P. (Project manager, academic) & Bögel, P. M. (Project staff)
01.09.14 → 01.06.18
Project: Research
PHARMAS: Ecological and human health risk assessments of antibiotics and anti-cancer drugs found in the environment
Kümmerer, K. (Project manager, academic) & Bolek, R. (Project staff)
01.01.11 → 31.03.14
Project: Research
Machbarkeitsstudie zur Entwicklung eines FKU-Masterprogramms
Adomßent, M. (Project manager, academic)
01.01.03 → 31.12.03
Project: Research
Sustainability education - capacity building for teachers
Barth, M. (Project manager, academic) & Redman, A. (Project staff)
14.03.17 → 31.05.19
Project: Research
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)
01.09.14 → 30.04.15
Project: Research
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
01.03.20 → 31.12.23
Project: Research
Research Consortium ‘Sustainability governance of global value chains’
Newig, J. (Project manager, academic), Bülow, F. (Project manager, academic) & Ehbauer, B. (Project staff)
01.08.24 → 31.07.28
Project: Research
Forschungskostenz. Stipendium Evely Araripe
Kümmerer, K. (Project manager, academic)
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
01.11.21 → 31.03.22
Project: Individual grant
Strategic Marketing and Corporate Reputation towards Corporate Sustainability
Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic) & Lee, K.-H. (Project manager, academic)
21.09.09 → 29.04.10
Project: Research
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
01.02.08 → 31.08.10
Project: Research
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)
01.06.22 → 31.05.25
Project: Research
Political Leadership as a Key Driver towards Sustainability.
von Stauffenberg, A.-K. (Project manager, academic) & Heinrichs, H. (Project manager, academic)
01.10.19 → 12.12.23
Project: Dissertation project
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
Einfluss partizipativer Organisationsstrkturen auf die Implementierung und Einhaltung von Sozialstandards. Eine empirische Analyse chinesischer Zulieferbetribe in der Textilindustrie.
Knolle, M. (Project manager, academic) & Heinrichs, H. (Project manager, academic)
01.01.08 → 31.12.10
Project: Dissertation project
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)
01.10.06 → 31.03.08
Project: Research