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. 2019
  2. Published

    Reducing aquatic micropollutants – Increasing the focus on input prevention and integrated emission management

    Kümmerer, K., Dionysiou, D. D., Olsson, O. & Fatta-Kassinos, D., 20.02.2019, In: Science of the Total Environment. 652, p. 836-850 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Comparison of eco-effectiveness and eco-efficiency based criteria for the construction of single-family homes

    Lindner, S., Braungart, M. & Essig, N., 25.02.2019, In: IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 225, 1, 9 p., 012041.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference article in journalResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Schätzen – Aber wie?

    Stinken-Rösner, L., 26.02.2019, Naturwissenschaftliche Bildung als Grundlage für berufliche und gesellschaftliche Teilhabe: GDCP Jahrestagung in Kiel. Maurer, C. (ed.). Regensburg: Universität Regensburg, p. 93-96 4 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearch

  5. Published

    A Leverage Points Perspective on Sustainability

    Fischer, J. & Riechers, M., 03.2019, In: People and Nature. 1, 1, p. 115-120 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  6. Published

    Combining mechanics and electrostatics: Quantitative measurement of a balloons electrical charge

    Stinken-Rösner, L., 03.2019, In: Physics Education. 54, 2, 023004.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesEducationpeer-review

  7. Published

    Contributions to the sustainable development goals in life cycle sustainability assessment: Insights from the Handprint research project

    Kühnen, M., Silva, S. L., Beckmann, J., Eberle, U., Hahn, R., Hermann, C., Schaltegger, S. & Schmid, M., 03.2019, In: NachhaltigkeitsManagementForum. 27, 1, p. 65-82 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Gesamtkonzept zum Umgang mit Elektro(alt)geräten – Vorbereitung zur Wiederverwendung: Abschlussbericht

    Sander, K., Wagner, L., Jepsen, D., Zimmermann, T. & Schomerus, C.-T., 03.2019, Dessau-Roßlau: Umweltbundesamt, 485 p. (Texte; vol. 2019, no. 17).

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsTransfer

  9. Published

    Native-born German and immigrant children’s development of emotion knowledge: A latent growth curve analysis

    Voltmer, K. & Salisch, M., 03.2019, In: British Journal of Developmental Psychology. 37, 1, p. 112-129 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Sustainability through institutional failure and decline? Archetypes of productive pathways

    Newig, J., Derwort, P. & Jager, N. W., 03.2019, In: Ecology and Society. 24, 1, 14 p., 18.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation

    Hill, R., Nates-Parra, G., Quezada-Euán, J. J. G., Buchori, D., LeBuhn, G., Maués, M. M., Pert, P. L., Kwapong, P. K., Saeed, S., Breslow, S. J., Carneiro da Cunha, M., Dicks, L. V., Galetto, L., Gikungu, M., Howlett, B. G., Imperatriz-Fonseca, V. L., O’B. Lyver, P., Martín-López, B., Oteros-Roza, E., Potts, S. G. & Roué, M., 01.03.2019, In: Nature Sustainability. 2, 3, p. 214-222 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review