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. 2025
  2. On-farm compost and parsley residues extract use on organic fennel crop to improve agronomic performance and environmental sustainability

    Diacono, M., Fiore, A., Di Bene, C., Farina, R., Trinchera, A., Li, J., Geelen, D., Pleissner, D., Almendinger, M., Montemurro, F. & Persiani, A., 2025, In: Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems. 49, 5, p. 615-640 26 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Operational principles for fostering transformative qualities and capacities in higher education sustainability science and practice

    Fagerholm, N., Coles, N., Beery, T., Torralba, M., Hakkarainen, V., Albert, C., Andersson, E., Bergström, R., Bieling, C., Gentin, S., Klonner, C., Stahl Olafsson, A., Raymond, C., Rouhiainen, H. & Wamsler, C., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Sustainability Science.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Pathways to synergize reductive with relational logics in environmental policy

    Pérez-Hämmerle, K. V., Moon, K., Raymond, C. M., Lucas, P., Hakkarainen, V. & Wood, P., 2025, In: Ecosystems and People. 21, 1, 20 p., 2529585.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Pflanzengesellschaft des Jahres 2026: Federgras-Steppe (Festucion valesiacae)

    Becker, T., Bergmeier, E., Boch, S., Diekmann, M., Dolnik, C., Durka, W., Ewald, J., Fartmann, T., Fechtler, T., Härdtle, W., Heinken, T., Hölzel, N., Horn, K., Lütt, S., Poniatowski, D., Pusch, J., Remy, D., Schneider, S., Thiel, H., Tischew, S., Vynokurov, D. & Willner, W., 2025, In: Tuexenia. 45

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Planting futures: School-based food forests and their contribution to holistic education for sustainable development

    Gobs, J., 2025, In: GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society. 34, 2, p. 97-105 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Playing the part: Children's willingness and embarrassment to play gender stereotype-violating roles

    Parks-Stamm, E. J., Leuthold, C., Schuster, C., Day-Murray, K. & Martiny, S. E., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: British Journal of Developmental Psychology.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Preface

    Bäumler, J., Binder, C., Bungenberg, M., Krajewski, M., Rühl, G., Tams, C. J., Terhechte, J. P. & Ziegler, A. R., 2025, In: European Yearbook of International Economic Law. 15, p. v-x 6 p.

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

  9. Psychological intervention in individuals with subthreshold depression: individual participant data meta-analysis of treatment effects and moderators

    Author Collaboration of "Psychological intervention in individuals with subthreshold depression: individual participant data meta-analysis of treatment effects and moderators", Harrer, M., Sprenger, A. A., Illing, S., Adriaanse, M. C., Albert, S. M., Allart, E. & Lehr, D., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: British Journal of Psychiatry. 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  10. Rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen der Einleitung von häuslichem Schiffsabwasser in der Arktis und Antarktis

    Schatz, V. J. & Ipsen, J., 2025, In: Zeitschrift für Europäisches Umwelt- und Planungsrecht. 23, 4, p. 409-426 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch