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. 2015
  2. Published

    Towards a thick understanding of sustainability transitions - Linking transition management, capabilities and social practices

    Rauschmayer, F., Bauler, T. & Schäpke, N., 01.01.2015, In: Ecological Economics. 109, p. 211-221 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    The Monster and the polar bears: constructing the future knowledge landscape of synthetic biology to inform responsible innovation.

    Withycombe Keeler, L. & Foley, R. W., 02.01.2015, In: Journal of Responsible Innovation. 2, 1, p. 81 - 84 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Performance of methods to select landscape metrics for modelling species richness

    Schindler, S., von Wehrden, H., Poirazidis, K., Hochachka, W. M., Wrbka, T. & Kati, V., 10.01.2015, In: Ecological Modelling. 295, p. 107-112 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Environmental chemistry of organosiloxanes

    Rücker, C. & Kümmerer, K., 14.01.2015, In: Chemical Reviews. 115, 1, p. 466-524 59 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  6. Published

    Nachhaltigkeit anders denken: Veränderungspotenziale durch Geschlechterperspektiven

    Katz, C. (Editor), Heilmann, S. (Editor), Thiem, A. (Editor), Moths, K. (Editor), Koch, L. M. (Editor) & Hofmeister, S. (Editor), 15.01.2015, 1. Auflage ed. Wiesbaden: Springer VS. 293 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  7. Published

    Aliens in Transylvania: risk maps of invasive alien plant species in Central Romania

    Zimmermann, H., Loos, J., von Wehrden, H. & Fischer, J., 16.01.2015, In: NeoBiota. 24, p. 55-65 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    A review on the use of calcium chloride in applied thermal engineering

    N'Tsoukpoe, K. E., Rammelberg, H., Fopah Lele, A., Korhammer, K., Watts, B. A., Schmidt, T. & Ruck, W., 22.01.2015, In: Applied Thermal Engineering. 75, p. 513-531 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  9. Published

    The necessity of disinfected toilet brushes - information policy of companies on disinfectants in private homes

    Wieck, S., 23.01.2015, In: Environmental Sciences Europe. 27, 1, 9 p., 3.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Correlation of trends in cashmere production and declines of large wild mammals: Response to Berger et al. 2013

    von Wehrden, H., Wesche, K., Chuluunkhuyag, O. & Fust, P., 02.2015, In: Conservation Biology. 29, 1, p. 286-289 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Innovative Lehrangebote der Leuphana Universität Lüneburg

    Schomerus, T., 02.2015, Hamburger Handbuch: Personalmanagement Erneuerbare Energien. Edelkraut, F., Findeisen, A., Streveld, T. & Warszta, T. (eds.). Hamburg: Erneuerbare Energien Hamburg Clusteragentur GmbH, p. 53-54 2 p.

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