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. Published

    Conflicting demands of chemistry and inclusive teaching—a video‐based case study

    Abels, S., Koliander, B. & Plotz, T., 01.03.2020, In: Education Sciences. 10, 3, 13 p., 50.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Conflicts over coastal protection in a National Park: Mediation and negotiated law making

    Striegnitz, M., 01.01.2006, In: Land Use Policy. 23, 1, p. 26-33 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Conflicts over GMOs and their Contribution to Food Democracy

    Friedrich, B., Hackfort, S. K., Boyer, M. & Gottschlich, D., 28.10.2019, In: Politics and Governance. 7, 4, p. 165-177 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Conflict strength: Measuring the tension between cooperative and competitive incentives in experimental negotiation tasks

    Majer, J., Schweinsberg, M., Zhang, H. & Trötschel, R., 06.05.2022, In: Collabra: Psychology. 8, 1, 17 p., 35330.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Connecting consumers to producers to foster sustainable consumption in international coffee supply – a marketing intervention study

    Weber, H., Loschelder, D. D., Lang, D. J. & Wiek, A., 24.07.2021, In: Journal of Marketing Management. 37, 11-12, p. 1148-1168 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Connecting curricula and competence through student learning journeys

    Birdman, J., Barth, M. & Lang, D. J., 09.12.2022, In: Sustainability: Science, Practice, and Policy. 18, 1, p. 560-575 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Consequences of nuclear accidents for biodiversity and ecosystem services

    von Wehrden, H., Fischer, J., Brandt, P., Wagner, V., Kümmerer, K., Kuemmerle, T., Nagel, A., Olsson, O. & Hostert, P., 01.04.2012, In: Conservation Letters. 5, 2, p. 81-89 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  8. Published

    Conservation: Limits of land sparing

    Fischer, J., Batáry, P., Bawa, K. S., Brussaard, L., Chappell, M. J., Clough, Y., Daily, G. C., Dorrough, J., Hartel, T., Jackson, L. E., Klein, A. M., Kremen, C., Kuemmerle, T., Lindenmayer, D. B., Mooney, H. A., Perfecto, I., Philpott, S. M., Tscharntke, T., Vandermeer, J., Wanger, T. C. & von Wehrden, H., 04.11.2011, In: Science. 334, 6056, p. 593-594 1 p.

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

  9. Published

    Conservation biology

    Aßmann, T., 2003, The genus carabus in europe: A Synthesis. Turin, H., Penev, L. & Casale, A. (eds.). Sofia [u.a.]: Pensoft Publishers Ltd., p. 427-438 12 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  10. Published

    Conservation of European beech forests: The importance of evolutionary and ecogeographical aspects

    Willner, W. & Härdtle, W., 2012, Beech forests: joint natural heritage of Europe. Knapp, H. D. (ed.). Bonn: BfN-Schriftenvertrieb im Landwirtschaftsverlag, p. 23-28 6 p. (BfN-Skripten; no. 327).

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