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.
TM 1.5 Case Study Sustainability Management III: Case Study 7 "Sustainability Management III - Wenn der Misthaufen nebenan steht" - Ein Dorf und 42.000 Hühner auf der Suchen nach einem friedlichen Zusammenleben
Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic), Giese, N. (Project manager, academic), Voigt, E. (Project staff) & Holder, S. (Project staff)
Investitions- und Förderbank Niedersachsen – NBank
19.08.09 → 31.01.16
Project: Practical Project
FSM II: Certificate programme in Fellowship Sustainability Management
Schaltegger, S. (Project manager, academic), Seidl, N. (Project staff) & Santa Cruz, A. (Project staff)
01.03.10 → 09.06.11
Project: Transfer (professional training)
CES Summer School: Artistic and Other Creative Practices as Drivers for Urban Resilience
Kagan, S. (Project manager, academic), Duxbury, N. (Project manager, academic), Haley, D. (Project manager, academic), Blanc, N. (Project manager, academic) & Holz, V. (Project manager, academic)
01.09.15 → 30.11.16
Project: Scientific event
Diptera Phenology: Changes in long term population dynamics of Diptera at Rothamsted, Harpenden
Grabener, S. (Project manager, academic), Harrington, R. (Project manager, academic), Shortall, C. R. (Project manager, academic) & Oldeland, J. (Partner)
01.11.14 → 31.05.15
Project: Research
A-KÜST: Changes in the coastal climate - evaluation of alternative strategies in coastal protection, subproject 06: Perception and Cooperation
Striegnitz, M. (Project manager, academic), Schmidt, A. (Project manager, academic), Lüdecke, G. (Project staff), von Storch, H. (Partner), Weisse, R. (Partner), Mayerle, R. (Partner), Sauter, M. (Partner), Ptak, T. (Partner), Schlurmann, T. (Partner) & Meon, G. (Partner)
Ministry of Science and Culture of the State of Lower Saxony
01.01.09 → 31.03.17
Project: Research
Ciência sem Fronteiras Alemanha
Ruck, W. (Project manager, academic)
01.12.11 → 30.06.12
Project: Teaching
Circular EURO 2024
Süßenbach, J. (Project manager, academic), Schröder, S. (Project staff), Greve, S. (Project staff) & Abels, S. (Project staff)
25.10.22 → 30.06.25
Project: Research
Climate and Environmental Variability during the late Middle Pleistocene at the Paleolithic Sites of Schöningen, Northern Germany
Urban, B. (Project manager, academic)
01.04.17 → 01.07.22
Project: Research
CCEHN: Climate Change & Early Humans in the North
Urban, B. (Project manager, academic)
01.11.22 → 31.10.25
Project: Research
Climate Conflicts - A Case of International Environmental and Humanitarian Law
Christiansen, S. M. (Project manager, academic) & Sanden, J. (Project manager, academic)
04.06.09 → 12.05.15
Project: Dissertation project