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

    Collaborative energy visioning under conditions of illiberal democracy: Results and recommendations from Ecuador

    Noboa, E., Upham, P. J. & Heinrichs, H., 08.10.2018, In: Energy, Sustainability and Society. 8, 1, 17 p., 31.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    A Social–Ecological Systems Framework as a Tool for Understanding the Effectiveness of Biosphere Reserve Management

    Ferreira, A. F., Zimmermann, H., Santos, R. & Wehrden, H., 10.10.2018, In: Sustainability. 10, 10, 26 p., 3608.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  4. Published

    The Project Schöningen from an ecological and cultural perspective

    Serangeli, J., Rodríguez-Álvarez, B., Tucci, M., Verheijen, I., Bigga, G., Böhner, U., Urban, B., van Kolfschoten, T. & Conard, N. J., 15.10.2018, In: Quaternary Science Reviews. 198, p. 140-155 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Embedding higher education into a Real-World Lab: A process-oriented analysis of Six Transdisciplinary Project Courses

    Beecroft, R., 20.10.2018, In: Sustainability. 10, 10, 3798.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Social capital, resource constraints and low growth communities: Lifestyle entrepreneurs in Nicaragua

    Klapper, R., Upham, P. & Kurronen, K., 22.10.2018, In: Sustainability. 10, 10, 3813.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    DECODING SUSTAINABILITY IN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. TEACHING STUDENTS HOW TO PROBLEMATIZE COMPLEX CONCEPTS

    Fischer, M., 26.10.2018, In: RISUS-JOURNAL ON INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY. 9, 3, p. 149-159 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Key ecological research questions for Central European forests

    Ammer, C., Fichtner, A., Fischer, A., Gossner, M. M., Meyer, P., Seidl, R., Thomas, F. M., Annighöfer, P., Kreyling, J., Ohse, B., Berger, U., Feldmann, E., Häberle, K.-H., Heer, K., Heinrichs, S., Huth, F., Krämer-Klement, K., Mölder, A., Müller, J., Mund, M., Opgenoorth, L., Schall, P., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Seidel, D., Vogt, J. & Wagner, S., 11.2018, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 32, p. 3-25 23 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Slowing resource loops in the clothing industry through Circular Business Model Experimentation

    Bocken, N. M. P., Miller, K., Weissbrod, I., Holgado, M. & Evans, S., 11.2018, Sustainable Fashion in a Circular Economy. Niinimäki, K. (ed.). 1 ed. Espoo: Aalto ARTS Books, p. 152-169 18 p.

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

  10. Published

    Using social media photos to explore the relation between cultural ecosystem services and landscape features across five European sites

    Oteros-Rozas, E., Martín-López, B., Fagerholm, N., Bieling, C. & Plieninger, T., 11.2018, In: Ecological Indicators. 94, Part 2, p. 74-86 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Actor perceptions of polycentricity in wind power governance

    Juerges, N., Leahy, J. & Newig, J., 01.11.2018, In: Environmental Policy and Governance. 28, 6, p. 383-394 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review