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. Qualifizierungsprogramm: Ausstellungsmanagement und Evaluation für erfolgreiche Ausstellungen zur Umweltkommunikation

    Marwege, R. (Project manager, academic), Adomßent, M. (Project manager, academic), Weyer, M. (Partner, non-academic) & Siekierski, E. (Partner, non-academic)

    German Federal Environmental Foundation

    01.04.1530.06.17

    Project: Transfer (professional training)

  2. 2042: A transformative longitudinal study - Collaborative Economy

    Soetebeer, I. (Project staff) & Burandt, S. (Project manager, academic)

    31.03.1531.03.18

    Project: Research

  3. Steuerungsmöglichkeiten des Produkt- und Abfallrechts im Hinblick auf die vermeidbare Obsoleszenz von Elektrogeräten

    Dickenhorst, C. (Project manager, academic) & Schomerus, T. (Project manager, academic)

    19.03.15 → …

    Project: Dissertation project

  4. Kleinforschungsprojekt: Transformationsfeld Energiewende im Raum - Impulse aus der Genderforschung

    Hofmeister, S. (Project manager, academic), Henkel, A. (Project staff) & Stumpe, F. (Project staff)

    16.02.1530.09.15

    Project: Research

  5. NIKT: Nachhaltiger Konsum von Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie in der digitalen Gesellschaft - Dialog und Transformation durch offene Innovation

    Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic), Hansen, E. G. (Project manager, academic), Silva, S. (Project staff), Weber, U. (Project staff), Hagenbeck, J. (Project staff), Norris, S. (Project staff), Eggers, A.-C. (Project staff), Revellio, F. (Project staff), Teuteberg, F. (Project manager, academic), Lenschow, A. (Project manager, academic), Marx Gómez, J. (Project manager, academic), Müller, K. (Project manager, academic) & Raabe, T. (Project manager, academic)

    Ministry of Science and Culture of the State of Lower Saxony

    15.02.1514.05.18

    Project: Research

  6. SaM: Die Stadt als Möglichkeitsraum

    Kirchberg, V. (Project manager, academic), Kagan, S. (Project manager, academic), Weisenfeld, U. (Project manager, academic), Stoltenberg, U. (Project manager, academic), Holz, V. (Project staff), Hauerwaas, A. (Project staff), Grigoleit, A. (Project staff) & Wedler, P. (Project staff)

    Ministry of Science and Culture of the State of Lower Saxony

    01.02.1531.01.18

    Project: Research

  7. KF-ZIM FQ-Monitor

    Ruck, W. (Project manager, academic)

    01.02.1530.09.18

    Project: Transfer (R&D project)

  8. SaM: Stadt als Möglichkeitsraum

    Kirchberg, V. (Project manager, academic), Stoltenberg, U. (Project manager, academic), Weisenfeld, U. (Project manager, academic), Kagan, S. (Project manager, academic), Holz, V. (Project staff) & Hauerwaas, A. (Project staff)

    Ministry of Science and Culture of the State of Lower Saxony

    01.02.1531.01.19

    Project: Research