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. 2021
  2. Published

    Introduction: Perspectives on Resilience Research

    Halberstadt, J. & Faasch, H., 2021, Resilience, Entrepreneurship and ICT: Latest Research from Germany, South Africa, Mozambique and Namibia. Halberstadt, J., Gomez, J. M., Greyling, J., Kaunapawa Mufeti, T. & Faasch, H. (eds.). Cham: Springer, p. xiii-xxix 17 p. (CSR, Sustainability, Ethics and Governance).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksOtherResearch

  3. Published

    Land use change and the future of biodiversity

    Hobohm, C., Beierkuhnlein, C., Börtitz, C., Clark, V. R., El Balti, N., Fichtner, A., Franklin, S., Gaens, T., Härdtle, W., Hansen, A. S., Janišová, M., Jansen, J., Lindner, M., Moro-Richter, M., Müller-Benedict, V., Ott, K., Reinmuth, K. C., van Rooijen, N. M., Sandberg, M., Schaminée, J. H. J., Tang, C. Q., Vahle, H.-C. & Vanderplank, S. E., 2021, Perspectives for Biodiversity and Ecosystems. Hobohm, C. (ed.). Cham: Springer, p. 451-483 33 p. (Environmental Challenges and Solutions).

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

  4. Published

    Living Labs for Product Circularity: Learnings from the ‘Innovation Network aiming at Sustainable Smartphones’

    Revellio, F., Hansen, E. & Schaltegger, S., 2021, PLATE – Product lifetimes and the environment: 3rd PLATE Conference, September 18–20, 2019 Berlin, Germany. Nissen, N. F. & Jaeger-Erben, M. (eds.). Berlin: Universitätsverlag der TU Berlin, p. 669-676 8 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Los activos intangibles de la agricultura familiar en los sistemas agroalimentarios: Marco conceptual y consideraciones metodológicas

    Ortiz-Przychodzka, S., Rodríguez Fazzone, M., Dueñas, J. D., Hernández, F. & Hernández, C., 2021, Bogotá: Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Kolumbien. 64 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesBook

  6. Published

    Low-Profit im Kontext der UN-Nachhaltigkeitsziele

    Fahrbach, C. & Weiser, A., 2021, Wirtschaft neu lehren: Erfahrungen aus der pluralen, sozioökonomischen Hochschulbildung. Urban, J., Schröder, L.-M., Hantke, H. & Bäuerle, L. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden, p. 107-124 18 p. (Sozioökonomische Bildung und Wissenschaft).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  7. Published

    Nachhaltige Raumentwicklung für die große Transformation – Herausforderungen, Barrieren und Perspektiven für Raumwissenschaften und Raumplanung

    Hofmeister, S. (Editor), Warner, B. (Editor) & Ott, Z. (Editor), 2021, Hannover: Akademie für Raumforschung und Landesplanung (ARL). 233 p. (Forschungsberichte der ARL; vol. 15)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  8. Published

    Nachhaltigkeit im Wirtschaftsrecht - von der Verantwortung der Wirtschaftsjuristen

    Schomerus, T., 2021, in principio erat codex - Am Anfang waren das Buch und das Gesetz: Eine zeitgenösische wirtschaftsjuristische Erkundung. Festschrift anlässlich des 60- + 70jährigen Geburtstages von Prof. em. Dr. iur. Klaus W. Slapnicar. Liepod, R. & Slapnicar, K. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Wissenschaftsverlag für Innovationen + Rechtstatsachen, p. 273-278 6 p.

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

  9. Published

    NachhaltigZeit: Ein Bildungsangebot zur Förderung von Zeitgestaltungskompetenz

    Grauer, C., Fischer, D. & Frank, P., 2021, Hamar, Norwegen: Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences. 34 p. (Images and Objects - Active Methodology Toolkit #12; vol. 12)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCompendium/lecture notesEducation

  10. Published

    Partizipative Hochschulentwicklung für den digitalen Wandel – Leitlinien des studierendenzentrierten Change Management

    Denker, F., Röwert, R. & Böckel, A., 2021, Digitalisierung in Studium und Lehre gemeinsam gestalten: Innovative Formate, Strategien und Netzwerke. Wiesbaden: Springer Vieweg, p. 233-247 15 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapter

  11. Published

    Proxy-Repräsentation: Die institutionelle politische Repräsentation der Stimmlosen am Beispiel zukünftiger Generationen

    Rose, M., 2021, Im Namen des Volkes: Zur Kritik politischer Repräsentation. Neubauer, M., Stange, M., Reske, C. & Doktor, F. (eds.). Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck GmbH and Co. KG, p. 275-302 28 p. (POLITIKA; vol. 21).

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