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. 2014
  2. Published

    Reconstructing the “biopiracy” debate from a justice perspective

    Stumpf, K. H., 2014, Concepts and Values in Biodiversity. Lanzerath, D. & Friele, M. (eds.). London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 225-242 18 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  3. Published

    Regionale Unterschiede der Netznutzungsentgelte: Hindernis für eine faire Energiewende?

    Plenz, M., Meister, M., Doliwa, M. & Obbelode, F., 2014, In: Zeitschrift für neues Energierecht. 18, 6, p. 540 - 543 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Relevante Ansätze zur Vermeidung von Lebensmittelabfällen in der Landwirtschaft, der Lebensmittelverarbeitung und im Handel

    Bräutigam, K.-R., Schomerus, T. & Biesdorf, B., 2014, Von der Verschwendung zur Wertschätzung der Lebensmittel - Wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse und praktische Umsetzung: Tagungsdokumentation; 21. November 2014, Münster. Ministerium für Klimaschutz, Umwelt, Landwirtschaft, Natur- und Verbraucherschutz des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen, p. 20 1 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksOtherTransfer

  5. Published

    Re-Naturierung: Gesellschaft im Einklang mit der Natur

    Leitschuh, H. (Editor), Michelsen, G. (Editor), Simonis, U. E. (Editor), Sommer, J. (Editor) & Weizsäcker, E. U. V. (Editor), 2014, 1. Auflage ed. Stuttgart: S. Hirzel Verlag. 256 p. (Jahrbuch Ökologie; vol. 2015)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  6. Published

    Schadstoffregime in Auenböden der Elbe

    Krüger, F. & Urban, B., 2014, Klimafolgenanpassung im Biosphärenreservat Niedersächsische Elbtalaue: Modellregion für nachhaltige Entwicklung. Prüter, J., Keienburg, T. & Schreck, C. (eds.). Hamburg: TuTech Verlag, p. 63-70 8 p. (Berichte aus den KLIMZUG-NORD Modellgebieten; vol. 5).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Schutz von Buchenwäldern in einem System von Naturwäldern

    Hehnke, T., von Oheimb, G., Härdtle, W., Kaiser, T. & Scherfose, V., 2014, Bonn: Bundesamt für Naturschutz, p. 1-127, 127 p. (BfN-Skripten; no. 380).

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsResearch

  8. Published

    Sharing Economy: Potenzial für eine nachhaltige Wirtschaft

    Heinrichs, H., 2014, In: ifo Schnelldienst. 67, 21/2014, p. 15-17 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  9. Published

    Social Entrepreneurs and Social Change: Tracing impacts of social entrepreneurship through ideas, structures, and practices

    Ney, S., Beckmann, M., Gräbnitz, D. & Mirkovic , R., 2014, In: International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing. 6, 1, p. 51-68 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Soziale Differenzkategorien als Gegenstand der Lehrer*innenbildung: ein empirischer Beitrag

    Budde, J., Offen, S. & Schmidt, J., 2014, Geschlecht und Vielfalt in Schule und Lehrerbildung . Eisenbraun, V. & Uhl, S. (eds.). 1 ed. Münster: Waxmann Verlag, p. 223-237 15 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Stadtnatur braucht Bildung

    Stoltenberg, U., 2014, Re-Naturierung: Gesellschaft im Einklang mit der Natur. Leitschuh, H., Michelsen, G., Simonis, U. E., Sommer, J. & Weizsäcker, E. U. V. (eds.). Stuttgart: S. Hirzel Verlag, p. 100-103 4 p. (Jahrbuch Ökologie ; vol. 2015).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch