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

    Promoting and prolonging the beneficial effects of a vacation with the help of a smartphone-based intervention

    Virtanen, A., de Bloom, J., Reins, J. A., Syrek, C., Lehr, D. & Kinnunen, U., 12.11.2019, In: Gedrag en Organisatie. 32, 4, p. 250-278 29 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Handbook on Maritime Hybrid Threats — 10 Scenarios and Legal Scans

    Savolainen, J., Gill, T., Schatz, V. J., Ojala, L., Jakstas, T. & Kleemola-Juntunen, P., 22.11.2019, Helsinki: The European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats, 54 p. (Hybrid CoE Working Papers; vol. 5).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  4. Published

    Das Reallabor als Forschungsprozess und -infrastruktur für nachhaltige Entwicklung: Konzepte, Herausforderungen und Empfehlungen

    Rose, M., Wanner, M. & Hilger, A., 12.2019, 2 ed., Wuppertal: Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie, 32 p. (Wuppertal Paper; no. 196).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  5. Published

    Occupational e-Mental Health – eine Übersicht zu Ansätzen, Evidenz und Implementierung

    Lehr, D. & Boß, L., 12.2019, Fehlzeiten-Report 2019: Digitalisierung - gesundes Arbeiten ermöglichen. Badura, B., Ducki, A., Schröder, H., Klose, J. & Meyer, M. (eds.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Nature AG, p. 155-178 24 p.

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

  6. Published

    Recent trends in green and sustainable chemistry: rethinking textile waste in a circular economy

    To, M. H., Uisan, K., Ok, Y. S., Pleißner, D. & Lin, C., 12.2019, In: Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry. 20, p. 1-10 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  7. Published

    Rettet die Bienen! Eine differenzierte Perspektive auf das Bienensterben

    Kater-Wettstädt, L. & Barth, M., 12.2019, Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung im Sachunterricht: Grundlagen und Praxisbeispiele. Wulfmeyer, M. (ed.). Baltmannsweiler: Schneider Verlag Hohengehren, Vol. 43. p. 77-92 16 p. (Basiswissen Grundschule; vol. 43).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesTransfer

  8. Published

    To which gender's disadvantage are school grades biased - girls or boys?

    Schuster, C., 12.2019, In: The In-Mind. 42: Gender Special Issue

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  9. Published

    When history matters: The overlooked role of priority effects in grassland overyielding

    Delory, B., Weidlich, E. W. A., von Gillhaussen, P. & Temperton, V. M., 12.2019, In: Functional Ecology. 33, 12, p. 2369-2380 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Cultural adaptation of internet interventions for refugees: Results from a user experience study in Germany

    Spanhel, K., Schweizer, J. S., Wirsching, D., Lehr, D., Baumeister, H., Bengel, J. & Sander, L., 01.12.2019, In: Internet Interventions. 18, 13 p., 100252.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Drivers of productivity and its temporal stability in a tropical tree diversity experiment

    Schnabel, F., Schwarz, J. A., Danescu, A., Fichtner, A., Nock, C., Bauhus, J. & Potvin, C., 01.12.2019, In: Global Change Biology. 25, 12, p. 4257-4272 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review