School of Sustainability
Organisational unit: Research School
- Centre for Sustainability Management (CSM)
- Institute of Ecology
- Institute of Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research
- Institute of Sustainability Governance
- Institute of Sustainability Material Flows and Circularity
- Institute of Sustainability Psychology
- Institute of Sustainable Chemistry
- Social-Ecological Systems Institute (SESI)
- Sustainability Education and Transdisciplinary Research Institute
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.
- 2025
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 contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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 contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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 contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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. 45Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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 contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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 contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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 contributions › Other (editorial matter etc.) › Research
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 contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
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 contributions › Journal articles › Research
Rechtsrahmen und Zuständigkeit für die Überwachung der Vorwäsche im Rahmen von Anlage II des MARPOL-Übereinkommens
Schatz, V. J. & Ipsen, J., 2025, In: Zeitschrift für das Recht der Transportwirtschaft. 2025, 6, p. 202-208 6 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research
