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. 2016
  2. Published

    Education for Sustainable Development after 2014: Results, Perspectives and Visions

    Michelsen, G., 2016, Education in a Globalized World: Teaching Right Livelihood. Christoforatou, E. (ed.). Immenhausen: Prolog-Verlag, p. 31-39 9 p. (Theory and Practice of School Pedagogy; vol. 30).

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

  3. Published

    EEG 2014 - Konsequenzen für die Finanzwirtschaft

    Degenhart, H. (Editor) & Schomerus, C.-T. (Editor), 2016, Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG. 144 p. (Lüneburger Schriften zum Wirtschaftsrecht; vol. 30)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  4. Published

    Eine Didaktische Rekonstruktion der Energiewende: Lernhindernisse zu erneuerbaren Energien

    Hüfner, S., 2016, Implementation fachdidaktischer Innovation im Spiegel von Forschung und Praxis: Gesellschaft für Didaktik der Chemie und Physik Jahrestagung in Zürich. Maurer, C. (ed.). Universität Regensburg, Vol. 37. p. 138-141 4 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearch

  5. Published

    Einleitung: Eine Summer School zur empirischen Forschung zur Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung

    Barth, M. & Rieckmann, M., 2016, Empirische Forschung zur Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung - Themen, Methoden und Trends: Summer School "Empirische Forschung zur Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung - Themen, Methoden und Trends" vom 21.-29. Juli 2014 an der Universität Vechta. Barth, M. & Rieckmann, M. (eds.). Opladen: Verlag Babara Budrich, p. 9-15 6 p. (Ökologie und Erziehungswissenschaft).

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

  6. Published

    Empirische Forschung zur Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung - Themen, Methoden und Trends: Summer School "Empirische Forschung zur Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung - Themen, Methoden und Trends" vom 21.-29. Juli 2014 an der Universität Vechta

    Barth, M. (Editor) & Rieckmann, M. (Editor), 2016, Opladen: Verlag Babara Budrich. 238 p. (Ökologie und Erziehungswissenschaft)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  7. Published

    Entwicklung von Instrumenten zur Vermeidung von Lebensmittelabfällen: Endbericht

    Jepsen, D., Vollmer, A., Eberle, U., Fels, J. & Schomerus, C.-T., 2016, Dessau: Umweltbundesamt, 260 p. (Texte; no. 85/2016).

    Research output: Working paperResearch communication reportsTransfer

  8. Published

    Focusing on enquiry-based science education within a european in-service teacher education programme

    Lembens, A. & Abels, S. J., 2016, Electronic Proceedings of the ESERA 2015 Conference : Science Education Research: Engaging learners for a sustainable future. Lavonen, J., Juuti, K., Lampiselkä, J., Uitto, A. & Hahl, K. (eds.). European Science Education Research Association, Vol. Part 14. p. 2544-2554 11 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Forschung in der Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung: Entstehung und Verortung eines Forschungszweiges

    Barth, M., 2016, Empirische Forschung zur Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung - Themen, Methoden und Trends: Summer School "Empirische Forschung zur Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung - Themen, Methoden und Trends" vom 21.-29. Juli 2014 an der Universität Vechta. Barth, M. & Rieckmann, M. (eds.). Opladen, Berlin, Toronto: Verlag Babara Budrich, p. 37-50 13 p. (Ökologie und Erziehungswissenschaft).

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

  10. Published

    Frauen im Männerknast: Justizvollzugsbeamtinnen in einem männerdominierten Arbeitsfeld

    Brinkmann, E., Halberstadt, J. & Weingraber, S., 2016, (Un)typisch Gender Studies – neue interdisziplinäre Forschungsfragen. Halberstadt, J., Hilmers, L., Kubes, T. A. & Weingraber, S. (eds.). Opladen, Berlin, Toronto: Budrich UniPress , p. 215-239 25 p.

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

  11. Published

    “ Freiheit, die ich meine": Ist Freiheit ein zeitloser Wert?

    Oermann, N. O., 2016, Freiheit und Gemeinwohl: ewige Gegensätze oder zwei Seiten einer Medaille?. Papier, H.-J. & Meynhardt, T. (eds.). Berlin: Tempus Corporate GmbH, p. 71-86 16 p.

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