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. 2018
  2. Published

    Coming late for dinner: Localized digestate depot fertilization for extensive cultivation of marginal soil with Sida hermaphrodita

    Nabel, M., Schrey, S., Poorter, H., Koller, R., Nagel, K. A., Temperton, V. M., Dietrich, C. C., Briese, C. & Jablonowski, N. D., 30.07.2018, In: Frontiers in Plant Science. 9, 14 p., 1095.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    How to Integrate Refugees Into the Workforce - Different Opportunities for (Social) Entrepreneurship

    Freudenberg, J. & Halberstadt, J., 30.07.2018, In: Problemy zarządzania - Management issues. 16, 1, p. 40-60 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Journal of Public Affairs, Special issue: “The marketing and public affairs of sustainability”

    Breitbarth, T. (Editor), Schaltegger, S. (Editor) & Mahon, J. (Editor), 08.2018, John Wiley & Sons Inc. (Journal of Public Affairs: an International Journal; vol. 18, no. 3)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesSpecial Journal issueResearch

  5. Published

    Langfristige Strategien zur Entfrachtung des aquatischen Kreislaufs von Mikroverunreinigungen

    Kümmerer, K. & Olsson, O., 08.2018, In: KA - Korrespondenz Abwasser, Abfall. 65, 8, p. 686-693 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Spillover systems in a telecoupled Anthropocene: typology, methods, and governance for global sustainability

    Liu, J., Dou, Y., Batistella, M., Challies, E., Connor, T., Friis, C., Millington, J. D. A., Parish, E., Romulo, C. L., Silva, R. F. B., Triezenberg, H., Yang, H., Zhao, Z., Zimmerer, K. S., Huettmann, F., Treglia, M. L., Basher, Z., Chung, M. G., Herzberger, A., Lenschow, A., Mechiche-Alami, A., Newig, J., Roche, J. & Sun, J., 08.2018, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. 33, p. 58-69 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  7. Published

    The marketing and public affairs of sustainability

    Breitbarth, T., Schaltegger, S. & Mahon, J., 08.2018, In: Journal of Public Affairs. 18, 3, 3 p., e1854.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  8. Published

    Using latent class analysis to produce a typology of environmental concern in the UK

    Rhead, R., Elliot, M. & Upham, P., 08.2018, In: Social Science Research. 74, p. 210-222 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Effects of forest management intensity on herb layer plant diversity and composition of deciduous forest communities in Northern Germany

    Petzold, J., Dittrich, S., Fichtner, A., Härdtle, W., Naumann, B. & von Oheimb, G., 01.08.2018, In: Tuexenia. 38, p. 79-96 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  10. Published

    Fragrance allergens in household detergents

    Wieck, S., Olsson, O., Kümmerer, K. & Klaschka, U., 01.08.2018, In: Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP. 97, p. 163-169 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Land use legacy effects on woody vegetation in agricultural landscapes of south-western Ethiopia

    Shumi, G., Schultner, J., Dorresteijn, I., Rodrigues, P., Hanspach, J., Hylander, K., Senbeta, F. & Fischer, J., 01.08.2018, In: Diversity and Distributions. 24, 8, p. 1136-1148 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review