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

    Corticosterone mediates carry-over effects between breeding and migration in the kittiwake Rissa tridactyla

    Schultner, J., Moe, B., Chastel, O., Tartu, S., Bech, C. & Kitaysky, A. S., 27.01.2014, In: Marine Ecology Progress Series. 496, p. 125-133 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Cradle to Cradle®. From recycling building components to up-cycllng buildings. Adapting to accelerated building cycles

    Mulhall, D. & Braungart, M., 30.01.2014, A New Dynamic: Effective Business in a Circular Economy . Webster, K., Bleriot, J., Johnson, C. & Foundation, E. M. (eds.). London: Ellen McArthur Foundation Publishing, p. 75-86 12 p.

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

  4. Published

    Bird community responses to the edge between suburbs and reserves

    Ikin, K., Barton, P. S., Knight, E., Lindenmayer, D. B., Fischer, J. & Manning, A. D., 02.2014, In: Oecologia. 174, 2, p. 545-557 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Economic Analysis for the UK National Ecosystem Assessment: Synthesis and Scenario Valuation of Changes in Ecosystem Services

    Bateman, I. J., Harwood, A. R., Abson, D., Andrews, B., Crowe, A., Dugdale, S., Fezzi, C., Foden, J., Hadley, D., Haines-Young, R., Hulme, M. F., Kontoleon, A., Munday, P., Pascual, U., Paterson, J. S., Perino, G., Sen, A., Siriwardena, G. M. & Termansen, M., 02.2014, In: Environmental and Resource Economics. 57, 2, p. 273-297 25 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Energy in low carbon cities and social learning: A process for defining priority research questions with UK stakeholders

    Martin, C. J., Taylor, P. G., Upham, P., Ghiasi, G., Bale, C. S. E., James, H., Owen, A., Gale, W. F., Slack, R. J. & Helmer, S., 02.2014, In: Sustainable Cities and Society. 10, p. 149-160 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Hochwasser- und Küstenschutz in Deutschland

    Brinkmann, B. & Heinrichs, H., 02.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 501-522 22 p.

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

  8. Published

    Mixed afforestation of young subtropical trees promotes nitrogen acquisition and retention

    Lang, A. C., von Oheimb, G., Härdtle, W., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Yang, B., Ma, K., Trogisch, S. & Bruelheide, H., 02.2014, In: Journal of Applied Ecology. 51, 1, p. 224-233 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Nachhaltige Kommunalverwaltung

    Kirst, E., Trockel, S. & Heinrichs, H., 02.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 549-566 18 p.

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

  10. Published

    Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften

    Heinrichs, H. (Editor) & Michelsen, G. (Editor), 02.2014, Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum. 608 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesEducation

  11. Published

    Öffentliche Nachhaltigkeitssteuerung: Politik und nachhaltige Entwicklung

    Heinrichs, H., 02.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 279-289 11 p.

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