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. 2023
  2. Published

    Biological nitrogen recirculation to food protein – A review

    Siddiqui, S. A., Pleissner, D., Pentjuss, A., Gołaszewski, J., Karwowska, A., Dace, E., Pahmeyer, M., Van Miert, S., Frooninckx, L., Broeckx, L., Heinz, V. & Smetana, S., 01.12.2023, In: Cleaner and Circular Bioeconomy. 6, 15 p., 100056.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Effects of habitat heterogeneity on bird communities in forests of northeastern Germany

    Sommer, R. S. & Fichtner, A., 01.12.2023, In: Baltic Forestry. 29, 2, 10 p., 699.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Fachbezogene Interaktionen von Schüler*innen im Chemieunterricht während des Destillierens

    Koliander, B., Plotz, T. & Abels, S., 01.12.2023, In: Zeitschrift für Didaktik der Naturwissenschaften. 29, 1, 17 p., 1.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Gender Gap in Parental Leave Intentions: Evidence from 37 Countries

    Olsson, M. I. T., van Grootel, S., Block, K., Schuster, C., Meeussen, L., Van Laar, C., Schmader, T., Croft, A., Sun, M. S., Ainsaar, M., Aarntzen, L., Adamus, M., Anderson, J., Atkinson, C., Avicenna, M., Bąbel, P., Barth, M., Benson-Greenwald, T. M., Maloku, E., Berent, J., Bergsieker, H. B., Biernat, M., Bîrneanu, A. G., Bodinaku, B., Bosak, J., Bosson, J., Branković, M., Burkauskas, J., Čavojová, V., Cheryan, S., Choi, E., Choi, I., Contreras-Ibáñez, C. C., Coogan, A., Danyliuk, I., Dar-Nimrod, I., Dasgupta, N., de Lemus, S., Devos, T., Diab, M., Diekman, A. B., Efremova, M., Eisner, L., Eller, A., Erentaite, R., Fedáková, D., Franc, R., Gartzia, L., Gavreliuc, A., Gavreliuc, D., Gecaite-Stonciene, J., Germano, A. L., Giovannelli, I., Diaz, R. G., Gitikhmayeva, L., Gizaw, A. M., Gjoneska, B., González, O. M., González, R., Grijalva, I. D., Güngör, D., Sendén, M. G., Hall, W., Harb, C., Hassan, B., Hässler, T., Hawi, D. R., Henningsen, L., Hoppe, A., Ishii, K., Jakšić, I., Jasini, A., Jurkevičienė, J., Kelmendi, K., Kirby, T. A., Kitakaji, Y., Kosakowska-Berezecka, N., Kozytska, I., Kulich, C., Kundtová-Klocová, E., Kunuroglu, F., Aidy, C. L., Lee, A., Lindqvist, A., López-López, W., Luzvinda, L., Maricchiolo, F., Martinot, D., McNamara, R. A., Meister, A., Melka, T. L., Mickuviene, N., Miranda-Orrego, M. I., Mkamwa, T., Morandini, J., Morton, T., Mrisho, D., Nikitin, J., Otten, S., Pacilli, M. G., Page-Gould, E., Perandrés, A., Pizarro, J., Pop-Jordanova, N., Pyrkosz-Pacyna, J., Quta, S., Ramis, T. S., Rani, N., Redersdorff, S., Régner, I., Renström, E. A., Rivera-Rodriguez, A., Rocha, S. T. E., Ryabichenko, T., Saab, R., Sakata, K., Samekin, A., Sánchez-Pachecho, T., Scheifele, C., Schulmeyer, M. K., Sczesny, S., Sirlopú, D., Smith-Castro, V., Soo, K., Spaccatini, F., Steele, J. R., Steffens, M. C., Sucic, I., Vandello, J., Velásquez-Díaz, L. M., Vink, M., Vives, E., Warkineh, T. Z., Žeželj, I., Zhang, X., Zhao, X. & Martiny, S. E., 01.12.2023, In: Political Psychology. 44, 6, p. 1163-1192 30 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Individual change agents for corporate sustainability transformation: a systematic literature review

    Buhr, M., Harms, D. & Schaltegger, S., 01.12.2023, In: Benchmarking: An International Journal. 30, 10, p. 4221–4247 27 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  7. Published

    Learning to spend time in unusual times: An inquiry into the potential for sustainability learning during COVID-19-induced school closures

    Grauer, C., Frank, P. & Fischer, D., 01.12.2023, In: International Review of Education. 69, 6, p. 823-849 27 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    The positive effect of plant diversity on soil carbon depends on climate

    Spohn, M., Bagchi, S., Biederman, L. A., Borer, E. T., Bråthen, K. A., Bugalho, M. N., Caldeira, M. C., Catford, J. A., Collins, S. L., Eisenhauer, N., Hagenah, N., Haider, S., Hautier, Y., Knops, J. M. H., Koerner, S. E., Laanisto, L., Lekberg, Y., Martina, J. P., Martinson, H., McCulley, R. L., Peri, P. L., Macek, P., Power, S. A., Risch, A. C., Roscher, C., Seabloom, E. W., Stevens, C., Veen, G. F., Virtanen, R. & Yahdjian, L., 01.12.2023, In: Nature Communications. 14, 1, 10 p., 6624.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Orban vs. Europäische Union: Europäische Außenpolitik als Druckmittel

    Bartmann, E. & Jacobs, C., 12.12.2023, 4 p. Hamburg : Junge Wissenschaft im Öffentlichen Recht e.V.

    Research output: other publicationsArticles in scientific forums or blogsResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Daily breath-based mindfulness exercises in a randomized controlled trial improve primary school children’s performance in arithmetic

    Voltmer, K., Hondrich, F. & von Salisch, M., 13.12.2023, In: Scientific Reports. 13, 1, 13 p., 22169.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Anticipating and transforming futures: a literature review on transdisciplinary coastal research in the Global South

    Baumann, L., Riechers, M., Celliers, L. & Ferse, S. C. A., 17.12.2023, In: Ecosystems and People. 19, 1, 16 p., 2288957.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch