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

    Einleitung

    von Kalckreuth, M., Schmieg, G. & Hausen, F., 01.04.2019, Nicolai Hartmanns Neue Ontologie und die Philosophische Anthropologie: Menschliches Leben in Natur und Geist. von Kalckreuth, M., Schmieg, G. & Hausen, F. (eds.). Walter de Gruyter GmbH, p. 1-10 (Philosophische Anthropologie; vol. 11).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksOtherResearch

  3. Published

    Fast response of groundwater to heavy rainfall

    Wittenberg, H., Aksoy, H. & Miegel, K., 01.04.2019, In: Journal of Hydrology. 571, p. 837-842 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published
  5. Published

    Phasing-out Coal in Germany – Not Only, But Also a Legal Challenge

    Schomerus, C.-T., 01.04.2019, In: Renewable Energy Law & Policy Review. 9, 2, p. 60-67 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  6. Published

    Clusters of water governance problems and their effects on policy delivery

    Kirschke, S., Franke, C., Newig, J. & Borchardt, D., 03.04.2019, In: Policy and Society. 38, 2, p. 255-277 23 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Seeking sustainability competence and capability in the ESD and HESD literature: an international philosophical hermeneutic analysis

    Shepard, K., Rieckmann, M. & Barth, M., 03.04.2019, In: Environmental Education Research. 25, 4, p. 532 - 547 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Synthesis, self-assembly, bacterial and fungal toxicity, and preliminary biodegradation studies of a series of L-phenylalanine-derived surface-active ionic liquids

    Kapitanov, I. V., Jordan, A., Karpichev, Y., Spulak, M., Perez, L., Kellett, A., Kümmerer, K. & Gathergood, N., 07.04.2019, In: Green Chemistry . 21, 7, p. 1777-1794 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Biologisch abbaubare Chinolon-Antibiotika

    Kümmerer, K., Leder, C., Rastogi, T., Suk, M. & Menz, J., 11.04.2019, IPC No. A61K31/47 , A61P31/04 , C07D215/233, C07D215/38 , C07D403/12, C07D401/12, Y02A50/30, Europäisches Patentamt, Patent No. DE102017218114A1, 11.10.2017, Priority date 11.10.2017, Priority No. DE102017218114A

    Research output: PatentsPatent

  10. Published

    Inquiry-based learning in sustainability science

    Vilsmaier, U. & Meyer, E. M., 12.04.2019, Inquiry-Based Learning – Undergraduate Research: The German Multidisciplinary Experience. Mieg, H. A. (ed.). Cham: Springer, p. 331-339 9 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  11. Published

    Habitat specialization, distribution range size and body size drive extinction risk in carabid beetles

    Nolte, D., Boutaud, E., Kotze, D. J., Schuldt, A. & Assmann, T., 15.04.2019, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 28, 5, p. 1267-1283 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review