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.
Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung (BNE) in Kindergärten am Beispiel Energie und Umwelt
Stoltenberg, U. (Project manager, academic)
21.11.08 → 22.04.13
Project: Research
Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung in außerschulischen Einrichtungen
Michelsen, G. (Project manager, academic), Rode, H. (Project staff) & Wendler, M. (Project staff)
German Federal Environmental Foundation
04.06.08 → 31.12.12
Project: Research
BINKA: Bildung für Nachhaltigen Konsum durch Achtsamkeitstraining- Teilprojekt "Bildung für Nachhaltigen Konsum"
Fischer, D. (Project manager, academic), Frank, P. (Project staff) & Sundermann, A. (Project staff)
Federal Ministry of Education and Research
01.03.15 → 30.11.19
Project: Research
Bildungsarbeit gegen Rechts in der Mitte der Gesellschaft - Herausforderungen und Ansatzpunkte.
Offen, S. (Project manager, academic)
01.07.12 → 30.11.16
Project: Transfer (professional training)
BioKultDiv: Biocultural Diversity in Farming Landscapes of the Global South
Hanspach, J. (Project manager, academic), Díaz Reviriego, I. (Project staff), Benavides Frias, C. (Project staff), Ortiz-Przychodzka, S. (Project staff) & Drews-Shambroom, A. (Project staff)
Federal Ministry of Education and Research
01.06.19 → 31.05.25
Project: Research
B + U: Biodiversity and Business - Development and Diffusion of Approaches in Biodiversity Management
Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic) & Beständig, U. (Project staff)
16.12.09 → 30.06.15
Project: Research
Biodiversity and its role in the ecosystem services and dis-services concept in agricultural landscapes in Israel
Klein, A.-M. (Project manager, academic) & Mandelik, Y. (Project manager, academic)
Ministry of Science and Culture of the State of Lower Saxony
01.12.10 → 31.12.12
Project: Research
Biodiversity and productivity in rangelands and their management
von Wehrden, H. (Project manager, academic) & Engler, J.-O. (Project manager, academic)
01.01.15 → 30.06.15
Project: Research
Biodiversity in Israel
Aßmann, T. (Project manager, academic) & Drees, C. (Project staff)
German-Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development
01.11.05 → 09.11.11
Project: Research
BiodiWert II: Konzepte zur Wiederherstellung von artenreichem Grünland in Deutschland (Grassworks-2) - Koordination, Sozialökologie und Modellregion Nord
Temperton, V. (Project manager, academic), Kuhn, L. (Project staff), Cebrián-Piqueras, M. A. (Project staff), Twerski, A. (Project staff) & Patru-Duse, I. A. (Project staff)
Federal Ministry of Education and Research
01.11.21 → 30.04.25
Project: Research