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

    Mentoring in Massive Open Online Courses - Eine Nutzenanalyse auf Basis des IS-Success-Modells

    Drawert, K., Mager, M., Funk, B., Trötschel, R. & Pfeifer, C., 03.2016, Multikonferenz Wirtschaftsinformatik (MKWI) 2016: Technische Universität Ilmenau 09. - 11. März 2016 . Nissen, V., Stelzer, D., Straßburger, S. & Fischer, D. (eds.). Universitätsverlag Ilmenau - ilmedia, Vol. 3. p. 1511-1522 12 p. (Multikonferenz Wirtschaftsinformatik, MKWI 2016; vol. 3).

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

  3. Published

    Nachhaltigkeit und Journalismus: Erkenntnisse und Impulse aus Wissenschaft und Praxis

    Michelsen, G. (Editor) & Fischer, D. (Editor), 03.2016, Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften. 153 p. (Innovationen in den Hochschulen: Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 12)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  4. Published

    Nachhaltigkeit und Journalismus? Ergebnisse einer Delphi-Studie mit Expertinnen und Experten

    Humburg, A., Fischer, D., Marwege, R. & Michelsen, G., 03.2016, Nachhaltigkeit und Journalismus: Erkenntnisse und Impulse aus Wissenschaft und Praxis. Michelsen, G. & Fischer, D. (eds.). Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 23-38 16 p. (Innovation in den Hochschulen ‐ Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 12).

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

  5. Published

    Vom Umwelt- zum Nachhaltigkeitsjournalismus? Die Initiative "Nachhaltigkeit und Journalismus"

    Michelsen, G. & Fischer, D., 03.2016, Nachhaltigkeit und Journalismus: Erkenntnisse und Impulse aus Wissenschaft und Praxis. Michelsen, G. & Fischer, D. (eds.). Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 9-19 11 p. (Innovation in den Hochschulen ‐ Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 12).

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

  6. Published

    Wie kommt Nachhaltigkeit in die Medien? Nachrichtenfaktoren und Frames im Nachhaltigkeitsjournalismus

    Fischer, D., Haucke, F. & Humburg, A., 03.2016, Nachhaltigkeit und Journalismus : Erkenntnisse und Impulse aus Wissenschaft und Praxis. Michelsen, G. & Fischer, D. (eds.). Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 39-54 16 p. (Innovation in den Hochschulen ‐ Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 12).

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

  7. Published

    Business Models for Sustainability: Origins, Present Research, and Future Avenues

    Schaltegger, S., Hansen, E. G. & Lüdeke-Freund, F., 01.03.2016, In: Organization & Environment. 29, 1, p. 3-10 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  8. Published

    New Sediment Cores Reveal Environmental Changes Driven by Tectonic Processes at Ancient Helike, Greece

    Engel, M., Jacobson, K., Boldt, K., Frenzel, P., Katsonopoulou, D., Soter, S., Alvarez Zarikian, C. A. & Brückner, H., 01.03.2016, In: Geoarchaeology. 31, 2, p. 140-155 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Organic farming affects the biological control of hemipteran pests and yields in spring barley independent of landscape complexity

    Birkhofer, K., Arvidsson, F., Ehlers, D., Mader, V. L., Bengtsson, J. & Smith, H. G., 01.03.2016, In: Landscape Ecology. 31, 3, p. 567-579 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Reviving wood-pastures for biodiversity and people: A case study from western Estonia

    Roellig, M., Sutcliffe, L. M. E., Sammul, M., von Wehrden, H., Newig, J. & Fischer, J., 01.03.2016, In: Ambio. 45, 2, p. 185-195 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    The farmer as a landscape steward: Comparing local understandings of landscape stewardship, landscape values, and land management actions

    Raymond, C. M., Bieling, C., Fagerholm, N., Martin-Lopez, B. & Plieninger, T., 01.03.2016, In: Ambio. 45, 2, p. 173-184 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review