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. 2007
  2. Published

    Strongly diverging population genetic patterns of three skipper species: the role of habitat fragmentation and dispersal ability

    Louy, D., Habel, J. C., Schmitt, T., Aßmann, T., Meyer, M. & Müller, P., 01.06.2007, In: Conservation Genetics. 8, 3, p. 671-681 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Verzweigungslasten von seitlich am Obergurt gestützten Pult- und Satteldachträgern aus Brettschichtholz

    Eilering, S. & Halbensleben, P., 01.06.2007, In: Bautechnik. 84, 6, p. 397-402 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Can prescribed burning compensate for atmospheric nutrient loads in wet heathlands?

    Haerdtle, W., Niemeyer, T., Assmann, T., Meyer, H. & von Oheimb, G., 20.06.2007, In: Phytocoenologia. 37, 2, p. 161-174 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Accelerated dereplication of natural products, supported by reference libraries

    Bitzer, J., Köpcke, B., Stadler, M., Hellwig, V., Ju, Y.-M., Seip, S. & Henkel, T., 27.06.2007, In: Chimia. 61, 6, p. 332-338 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  6. Published

    Diversity and spatio-temporal dynamics of dead wood in a temperate near-natural beech forest (Fagus sylvatica)

    von Oheimb, G., Westphal, C. & Haerdtle, W., 01.07.2007, In: European Journal of Forest Research. 126, 3, p. 359-370 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Modelling habitat and spatial distribution of an endangered longhorn beetle: a case study for saproxylic insect conservation

    Buse, J., Schroeder, B. & Aßmann, T., 01.07.2007, In: Biological Conservation. 137, 3, p. 372-381 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Occurrence and Air-sea exchange of phthalates in the Arctic

    Xie, Z., Ebinghaus, R., Temme, C., Lohmann, R., Caba, A. & Ruck, W., 01.07.2007, In: Environmental Science & Technology. 41, 13, p. 4555-4560 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Reliving the past in a changed environment: Hydropower ambitions, opportunities and constraints in Tajikistan

    Wegerich, K., Olsson, O. & Froebrich, J., 01.07.2007, In: Energy Policy. 35, 7, p. 3815-3825 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    The effects of windthrow on plant species richness in a Central European beech forest

    von Oheimb, G., Friedel, A., Bertsch, A. & Haerdtle, W., 01.07.2007, In: Plant Ecology. 191, 1, p. 47-65 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Syntheses of retipolide E and ornatipolide, 14-membered biaryl-ether macrolactones from mushrooms

    Ingerl, A., Justus, K., Hellwig, V. & Steglich, W., 09.07.2007, In: Tetrahedron. 63, 28, p. 6548-6557 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch