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. 2024
  2. Published

    Exploring the “works with nature” pillar of food sovereignty: a review of empirical cases in academic literature

    Benavides-Frias, C., Ortiz Przychodzka, S., Díaz-Reviriego, I., Oteros-Rozas, E., Burke, L. & Hanspach, J., 2024, In: Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems. 48, 3, p. 332-356 25 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Future ecosystem service provision under land-use change scenarios in southwestern Ethiopia

    Duguma, D. W., Brueck, M., Shumi, G., Law, E., Benra, F., Schultner, J., Nemomissa, S., Abson, D. J. & Fischer, J., 2024, In: Ecosystems and People. 20, 1, 14 p., 2321613.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Grassroots relational approaches to agricultural transformation in Latin America

    Allen, K. E., Ortiz-Przychodzka, S., Coelho-Junior, M. G., Herrmann, T., Atchley, M., Benra, F., Chavez, V., Darvin, E., McCabe, J., Nahuelhual, L., Rodrigues, C. H. & Muraca, B., 2024, In: Ecosystems and People. 20, 1, 16 p., 2390470.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Accepted/In press

    Greene’s dual-process moral psychology and the modularity of mind

    Bammel, M., 2024, (Accepted/In press) In: Philosophical Psychology. 24 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Inklusive Gestaltung einer Einheit offenen Forschenden Lernens

    Hofer, E., 2024, Frühe naturwissenschaftliche Bildung : Gesellschaft für Didaktik der Chemie und Physik, Jahrestagung 2023 . van Vorst, H. (ed.). Essen: Gesellschaft für Didaktik der Chemie und Physik, p. 110-113 4 p. (Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Didaktik der Chemie und Physik; no. 50)(Tagungsband; vol. 44).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearch

  7. Published
  8. Published

    Kommunen als Adressat und Träger der Nachhaltigkeit

    Redenius, P. & Heinrichs, H., 2024, Kommunales Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement : Ein integrativer Ansatz mit Fokus Wirtschaft am Beispiel der Stadt Hannover. Butzer-Strothmann, K. & Ahlers, F. (eds.). 1 ed. Springer Gabler, p. 41-62 22 p.

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

  9. Published
  10. Published

    Leuphana Lernwerkstatt Lüneburg – multifunktionelle Ausrichtung eines inklusiven naturwissenschaftlichen Lehr-Lern-Raums

    Hofer, E. & Abels, S., 2024, Hochschullernwerkstätten im analogen und digitalen Raum: Perspektiven auf Didaktik und Forschung in innovativen Lernsettings. Weber, N., Moos, M. & Kucharz, D. (eds.). Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt, p. 254-262 9 p. (Lernen und Studieren in Lernwerkstätten).

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

  11. Published

    Niemand hat die Absicht die Seenotrettung zu kriminalisieren… Einige Überlegungen zum „Rückführungsverbesserungsgesetz“ und seinen Folgen

    Schatz, V. J. & Epik, A., 2024, In: Neue Kriminalpolitik. 2024, p. 83-103

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review