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.
Using Self-Affirmation to Reduce Intergroup Hostility and Facilitate Intergroup Contact in the Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Sevincer, T. (Project manager, academic), Halperin, E. (Project manager, academic), Müller, T. (Partner) & Shermann, D. (Project manager, academic)
01.10.25 → 30.09.28
Project: Research
POEM II: Mechanismen von Prioritätseffekten (POEM II): Interaktive Auswirkungen der Assembly-Geschichte und der Wetterbedingungen auf die Entstehung und das Fortbestehen von Prioritätseffekten in Trockenrasen
Temperton, V. (Project manager, academic)
01.08.25 → 31.07.28
Project: Research
Dow Green Chemistry Education Award
Zuin Zeidler, V. (Project manager, academic)
25.04.25 → 31.12.25
Project: Individual grant
Landwirtschaft und landwirtschaftliche Systeme in Kriegszeiten aus der Perspektive sozial-ökologischer Systeme: Erkenntnisse aus Kolumbien
Fischer, J. (Project manager, academic)
01.04.25 → 30.03.27
Project: Research
Waldbiodiversitätsexperiment TP SP 6
Staab, M. (Project manager, academic)
01.04.25 → 31.10.26
Project: Research
DATIpilot: DATIpilot - Community - CommunitE-Innovation - Innovations-Ökosysteme für gemeinschaftsgetragene Energieversorgung; TP2: Rechtliche Analyse und Werkzeuge
Schomerus, T. (Project manager, academic)
01.03.25 → 28.02.27
Project: Research
LoLE: Leaders of Learner Empowerment (LoLE) - Entwicklung und Erprobung eines transformativen Trainings für Führungskräfte in Schulen zur Umsetzung eines partizipativen Whole School Approaches
Fischer, D. (Project manager, academic), Humburg, D. (Coordination) & Grauer, C. (Project staff)
01.02.25 → 31.01.27
Project: Research
Bewertungsschema für die Nachhaltigkeitswirkung von Cassini-Projekten
Hörisch, J. (Project manager, academic)
01.01.25 → 31.12.25
Project: Research
Wissenschaftsraum "Future Trends in Education. Schule transformieren durch Demokratiebildung und Bildung für Nachhaltige Entwicklung - Future.Ed"
Pietsch, M. (Project manager, academic), Abels, S. (Project manager, academic), Idel, T.-S. (Project manager, academic), Speck, K. (Project manager, academic), Nonte, S. (Project manager, academic) & Reintjes, C. (Project manager, academic)
01.01.25 → 31.12.29
Project: Research
DFG research unit “The role of nature for human well-being in the Kilimanjaro Social-Ecological System” (Kili-SES-2) - Sub project 3: “Understanding social-ecological transformations: the role of initiatives’ values, rules and knowledge”
Martín-López, B. (Project manager, academic) & Groß, M. (Project manager, academic)
12.12.24 → 12.12.28
Project: Research