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

    Kommunikation, Partizipation und digitale Medien: Partizipation

    Newig, J., 03.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 381-397 17 p.

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

  3. Published

    Methoden und Methodologie in den Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften

    Lang, D. J., Rode, H. & von Wehrden, H., 03.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Michelsen, G. & Heinrichs, H. (eds.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 115-144 30 p.

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

  4. Published

    Pathogen induced disturbance and succession in temperate forests: Evidence from a 100-year data set in southern Sweden

    Brunet, J., Bukina, Y., Hedwall, P.-O., Holmström, E. & Oheimb, G., 03.2014, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 15, 2, p. 114-121 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Physicochemical properties and biodegradability of organically functionalized colloidal silica particles in aqueous environment

    Schneider, M., Meder, F., Haiß, A., Treccani, L., Rezwan, K. & Kümmerer, K., 03.2014, In: Chemosphere. 99, p. 96-101 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Plant diversity effects on pollinating and herbivorous insects can be linked to plant stoichiometry

    Abbas, M., Klein, A. M., Ebeling, A., Oelmann, Y., Ptacnik, R., Weisser, W. W. & Hillebrand, H., 03.2014, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 15, 2, p. 169-178 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Wasser

    Evers, M. & Newig, J., 03.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin: Springer, p. 475-500 26 p.

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

  8. Published

    Identifying core habitat before it's too late: The case of Bombina variegata, an internationally endangered amphibian

    Scheele, B. C., Boyd, C. E., Fischer, J., Fletcher, A. W., Hanspach, J. & Hartel, T., 01.03.2014, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 23, 3, p. 775-780 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Transport of perfluoroalkyl acids in a water-saturated sediment column investigated under near-natural conditions

    Vierke, L., Möller, A. & Klitzke, S., 01.03.2014, In: Environmental Pollution. 186, p. 7-13 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Atmospheric mercury speciation and mercury in snow over time at Alert, Canada

    Steffen, A., Bottenheim, J. W., Cole, A. S., Ebinghaus, R., Lawson, G. S. & Leaitch, W. R., 03.03.2014, In: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 14, 5, p. 2219-2231 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Vision Statement for the Planet in 2050

    Bhave, A., Ceausu, S., Deshmukh, A., Jewell, J., Pan, W. & Timm, J.-M., 14.03.2014, Creating a Sustainable and Desirable Future : Insights from 45 Global Thought Leaders . Costanza, R. & Kubiszewski, I. (eds.). 1 ed. New Jersey: World Scientific Publishing Company, p. 51-54 4 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review