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

    Relational Transdisciplinarity: Five Reflexive Steps for Embodying Relational Ontologies in Transdisciplinary Learning Contexts

    Tolksdorf, F., Grauer, C., Chilisa, B., Manuel-Navarrete, D., Sanusi, Z. A., Rühl, S. & Lang, D. J., 19.12.2023, In: Social Innovations Journal. 22, 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference article in journalResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Methods in sustainability science

    von Wehrden, H., 29.12.2023, In: GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society. 32, 4, p. 341-341 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  4. 2024
  5. Published

    Angehende Lehrpersonen der Primar- und Sekundarstufe gestalten inklusiven naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht – eine Videostudie mit dem Kategoriensystem inklusiver naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht (KinU)

    Brauns, S. & Abels, S., 2024, Videographische Forschung zu inklusivem Unterricht: Erziehungswissenschaftliche und fachdidaktische Perspektiven. Wilm, G., Koßmann, R., Böse, S., Fabel-Lamla, M. & Meyer-Jain, C. (eds.). Bad Heilbrunn: Verlag Julius Klinkhardt, p. 210-227 18 p.

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

  6. Published

    Art. 9 VO (EU) 2020/852

    Schatz, V. J. & Köster, M., 2024, Frank Fellenberg & Martin Kment (Hrsg.), Taxonomie-VO: Kommentar. 1 ed. München: C.H. Beck Verlag, p. 165-174 10 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions in collection of commentariesResearch

  7. Published

    Assessing Knowledge Cumulation in Earth System Governance Research: Codebook and Aggregation Rules

    Newig, J. & Rose, M., 2024, SSRN Social Science Research Network, 14 p. (SSRN Electronic Journal).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  8. Accepted/In press
  9. Published

    Chemie für alle: Diversität anerkennen – Barrieren erkennen – Partizipation ermöglichen im Chemieunterricht

    Rott, L., Abels, S., Nehring, A. & Menthe, J., 2024, In: Naturwissenschaft im Unterricht - Chemie. 35, 204, p. 2-9 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  10. E-pub ahead of print

    Defeminizing Sustainability: How to Boost Men’s Motivation for Proenvironmental Behavior

    Hällfritzsch, M., Volpi, L., Daniel, K. G., Somogyi, C., Kause, A., Reese, G. & Loschelder, D. D., 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Motivation Science.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Evaluating A Teaching-Learning Sequence (TLS) About Acid-Base Reactions In Upper Secondary School

    Krebs, R., Rost, M., Hofer, E. & Lembens, A., 2024, The 15th Conference of the European Science Education Research Association (ESERA): ESERA 2023; Proceedings Book Series I. Sardag, M., Kaya, G. & Sogut, M. (eds.). Ankara: Nobel Academic Publishing, p. 546-558 13 p.

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

  12. Accepted/In press

    Exploring Management Control Systems for Biodiversity: Insights from Three Food Companies

    Hübel, C. & Wenzig, J., 2024, (Accepted/In press) In: Social and Environmental Accountability Journal. 31 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review