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

    The Role of Linked Social-Ecological Systems in a Mobile Agent-Based Ecosystem Service from Giant Honey Bees (Apis dorsata) in an Indigenous Community Forest in Palawan, Philippines

    Matias, D. M. S., Borgemeister, C., Sémah, A. M. & von Wehrden, H., 01.12.2019, In: Human Ecology. 47, 6, p. 905-915 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Tomato plants rather than fertilizers drive microbial community structure in horticultural growing media

    Grunert, O., Robles Aguilar, A. A., Hernandez-Sanabria, E., Schrey, S., Reheul, D., Van Labeke, M.-C., Vlaeminck, S. E., Vandekerckhove, T. G. L., Mysara, M., Monsieurs, P., Temperton, V., Boon, N. & Jablonowski, N., 01.12.2019, In: Scientific Reports. 9, 1, 15 p., 9561 .

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Urban areas and urban-rural contrasts under climate change: What does the EURO-CORDEX ensemble tell us?-Investigating near surface humidity in berlin and its surroundings

    Langendijk, G. S., Rechid, D. & Jacob, D., 01.12.2019, In: Atmosphere. 10, 12, 22 p., 730.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    'Where is everybody?' An empirical appraisal of occurrence, prevalence and sustainability of technological species in the Universe

    Engler, J. O. & Von Wehrden, H., 01.12.2019, In: International Journal of Astrobiology. 18, 6, p. 495-501 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    A process-oriented framework of competencies for sustainability entrepreneurship

    Foucrier, T. & Wiek, A., 02.12.2019, In: Sustainability. 11, 24, 18 p., 7250.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Democratic innovation and environmental governance

    Newig, J., Challies, E. & Jager, N. W., 05.12.2019, Handbook of Democratic Innovation and Governance. Elstub, S. & Escobar, O. (eds.). Edward Elgar Publishing, p. 324-338 15 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  8. Published

    Human-carnivore relations: Conflicts, tolerance and coexistence in the American West

    Expósito-Granados, M., Castro, A. J., Lozano, J., Aznar-Sanchez, J. A., Carter, N. H., Requena-Mullor, J. M., Malo, A. F., Olszańska, A., Morales-Reyes, Z., Moleón, M., Sánchez-Zapata, J. A., Cortés-Avizanda, A., Fischer, J. & Martín-López, B., 06.12.2019, In: Environmental Research Letters. 14, 12, 14 p., 123005.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  9. Published

    "Doing" Sustainability Assessment in Different Consumption and Production Contexts-Lessons from Case Study Comparison

    Engelmann, T., Fischer, D., Lörchner, M., Bowry, J. & Rohn, H., 09.12.2019, In: Sustainability. 11, 24, 25 p., 7041.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published
  11. Published

    Skills and knowledge management in higher education: how service learning can contribute to social entrepreneurial competence development

    Halberstadt, J., Timm, J.-M., Kraus, S. & Gundolf, K., 11.12.2019, In: Journal of Knowledge Management. 23, 10, p. 1925-1948 24 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review