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

    The research process of understanding biographical learning processes of sustainability entrepreneurs

    Timm, J.-M., 2016, Routledge Handbook of Higher Education for Sustainable Development. Barth, M., Michelsen, G., Rieckmann, M. & Thomas, I. (eds.). 1 ed. London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 383-395 13 p. 26. (Routledge international handbooks).

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

  3. Published

    Thesen. Statements: Vorab. First thinks first

    Gottschlich, D., 2016, Natur und Evolution als ZuMutungen an eine zukunftsfähige Gestaltung von Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft: 7. Spiekerooger KlimaGespräche 2015. Pfriem, R. (ed.). Oldenburg: dbv Deutscher Buchverlag GmbH, p. 14 1 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsResearch

  4. Published

    Towards a Real-world Laboratory: A Transdisciplinary Case Study from Lüneburg

    Bernert, P., Haaser, A., Kühl, L. & Schaal, T., 2016, In: GAIA. 25, 4, p. 253-259 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Towards sustainable land uses within the Elbe river biosphere reserve in Lower Saxony, Germany by means of TerraSAR-X images

    Farghaly, D., Elba, E. & Urban, B., 2016, In: Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection. 4, 3, p. 97-121 25 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Transdisziplinäre Bildungsforschung für nachhaltige Entwicklung

    Fischer, D., Grunenberg, H., Mader, C. & Michelsen, G., 2016, Forschung für Nachhaltigkeit an deutschen Hochschulen. Leal Filho, W. (ed.). Heidelberg: Springer, p. 25-42 17 p. (Theorie und Praxis der Nachhaltigkeit; no. 1).

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

  7. Published

    Transformational Sustainability Research Methodology

    Wiek, A. & Lang, D. J., 2016, Sustainability Science: An Introduction. Heinrichs, H., Martens, P., Michelsen, G. & Wiek, A. (eds.). Dordrecht: Springer Science+Business Media, p. 31-41 11 p. 3

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

  8. Published

    Unternehmerische Identität zwischen Nerz, Nerd und Normalunternehmer: Entwicklung eines Forschungsdesigns zur Analyse des (de)aktivierenden Potenzials der medialen Darstellung von Unternehmerinnen

    Halberstadt, J., Hölzner, H., Gómez, J. M. & Kraus, S., 2016, (Un)typisch Gender Studies – neue interdisziplinäre Forschungsfragen. Halberstadt, J., Hilmers, L., Kubes, T. A. & Weingraber, S. (eds.). Opladen: Budrich UniPress , p. 157-170 14 p.

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

  9. Published

    (Un)typisch Gender Studies: neue interdisziplinäre Forschungsfragen

    Halberstadt, J. (Editor), Hilmers, L. (Editor), Kubes, T. (Editor) & Weingraber, S. (Editor), 2016, Opladen: Budrich UniPress . 306 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  10. Published

    Urbanes Lernen. Stadt als vielfältiges Lern- und Erfahrungsfeld - aus Sicht einer Stadtplanerin

    Edelhoff, S. H., 2016, In: Hamburg macht Schule. 28, 2, p. 24-25 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  11. Published