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. 2017
  2. Published

    Herbivore and pathogen effects on tree growth are additive, but mediated by tree diversity and plant traits

    Schuldt, A., Hönig, L., Li, Y., Fichtner, A., Härdtle, W., von Oheimb, G., Welk, E. & Bruehlheide, H., 09.2017, In: Ecology and Evolution. 7, 18, p. 7462-7474 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Measuring Young Consumers’ Sustainable Consumption Behavior: Development and Validation of the YCSCB Scale

    Fischer, D., Böhme, T. & Geiger, S. M., 09.2017, In: Young Consumers. 18, 3, p. 312-326 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Unsichtbare Gewalt: Geschlechter- und Machtverhältnisse im politischen Diskurs

    Amri-Henkel, A., 09.2017, In: Forum Wissenschaft. 34, 3, p. 8-11 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  5. Published

    We Need Qualitative Progress to Address the Food-Biodiversity Nexus: A Reply to Seppelt et al.

    Fischer, J., Abson, D. J., Bergsten, A., Collier, N. F., Dorresteijn, I., Hanspach, J., Hylander, K., Schultner, J. & Senbeta, F., 09.2017, In: Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 32, 9, p. 632-633 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  6. Published

    Facilitating regional energy transition strategies: Toward a typology of regions

    Lutz, L. M., Lang, D. J. & Wehrden, H., 01.09.2017, In: Sustainability. 9, 9, 17 p., 1560.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Feedstocks and analysis: General discussion

    Aldous, L., Argyropoulos, D., Budarin, V., Cabrera-Rodríguez, C. I., Clark, J., Coma, M., Constable, D., Fan, J., Gschwend, F., Hayes, D., Hu, C., Huber, G., Hughes, T., Hunt, A., Lapkin, A., Lye, G., Mascal, M., Matharu, A., Mu, X., Pant, D., Papaioannou, E., Rinaldi, R., Rothenberg, G., Samec, J., Sarkanen, S., Stankiewicz, A., Stevens, C., Titirici, M., Waldron, K., Wilson, K., Zhenova, A., Zhou, L. & Zuin, V., 01.09.2017, In: Faraday Discussions. 202, p. 497-519 23 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  8. Published

    Functional traits drive ground beetle community structures in Central European forests: Implications for conservation

    Nolte, D., Schuldt, A., Gossner, M. M., Ulrich, W. & Assmann, T., 01.09.2017, In: Biological Conservation. 213, Part A, p. 5-12 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Income inequality and willingness to pay for environmental public goods

    Baumgärtner, S., Drupp, M. A., Meya, J. N., Munz, J. M. & Quaas, M. F., 01.09.2017, In: Journal of Environmental Economics and Management. 85, p. 35-61 27 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Sustainability as a Fundamental Challenge for Management Accountants

    Schaltegger, S., 01.09.2017, The Role of the Management Accountant: Local Variations and Global Influences. Goretzki, L. & Strauss, E. (eds.). London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 274-291 18 p. (Routledge studies in accounting; vol. 26).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  11. Published

    Technical, economic and environmental analysis of lactic acid and biogas production from kitchen waste

    Demichelis, F., Fiore, S., Pleißner, D. & Venus, J., 01.09.2017, 9th International Conference on Environmental Engineering and Management (ICEEM09): Conference Abstracts Book. Buburuzan, A. M., Fava, F., Gavrilescu, D., Teodosiu, C., Corvini, P. & Bertin, L. (eds.). Iasi, Romania: ECOZONE Publishing House, p. 257-258 2 p. (ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT; vol. 9).

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