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

    A Framework for Ecopreneurship: Leading Bioneers and Environmental Managers to Ecopreneurship

    Schaltegger, S., 2002, In: Greener Management International. 38, p. 45-58 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    A framework for evaluating the contribution of transformation products to chemical persistence in the environment

    Ng, C. A., Scheringer, M., Fenner, K. & Hungerbuhler, K., 01.01.2011, In: Environmental Science & Technology. 45, 1, p. 111-117 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    A framework to enable sustainability-oriented transition activities in HEIs: Learnings from two case studies in Germany and Switzerland

    Kirst, E. & Schroth, T., 15.12.2022, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 379, 134605.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  4. Published

    Africa’s mountainous islands: archipelagos of fire, water, and problem species

    Clark, V. R., Ah-Peng, C., Arévalo, J. R., Backes, A. R., Rouget, M., Martin, G. & Haider, S., 01.01.2024, Safeguarding Mountain Social-Ecological Systems, Vol 2: Building Transformative Resilience in Mountain Regions Worldwide. Schneiderbauer, S., Schroder, J. F., Pisa, P. F. & Szarzynski, J. (eds.). Elsevier, Vol. 2. p. 129-149 21 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  5. Published

    “A Future to Believe in”: Introducing Varieties of Advocacy Journalism. The Examples Sustainability and the Sanders Campaign

    Laws, N. & Chojnicka, J., 03.07.2020, In: Journalism Studies. 21, 9, p. 1261-1283 23 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Agency and structure in a sociotechnical transition: Hydrogen fuel cells, conjunctural knowledge and structuration in Europe

    Upham, P., Dütschke, E., Schneider, U., Oltra, C., Sala, R., Lores, M., Klapper, R. & Bögel, P., 01.03.2018, In: Energy Research and Social Science. 37, p. 163-174 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Agenda 21 und Universität - auch eine Frage der Gesundheit?

    Paulus, P. (Editor) & Stoltenberg, U. (Editor), 2002, Frankfurt am Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften. 174 p. (Innovationen in den Hochschulen – Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 7)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesConference proceedingsResearch

  8. Published

    A gene marker panel covering the Wnt and the Ras-Raf-MEK-MAPK signalling pathways allows to detect gene mutations in 80% of early (UICC I) colon cancer stages in humans

    Scholtka, B., Schneider, M., Melcher, R., Katzenberger, T., Friedrich, D., Berghof-Jäger, K., Scheppach, W. & Steinberg, P., 08.2009, In: Cancer Epidemiology. 33, 2, p. 123-129 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Agenten des Nachhaltigkeitswandels: 10 Jahre unterwegs mit dem MBA Sustainability Management

    Schaltegger, S., 2013, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management. 165 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsTransfer

  10. Published

    AG Frauen: Vielfältiger Auftakt – Weshalb eine Schnecke Gender Mainstreaming symbolisiert

    Grüning, J., Thiem, A. & Mayer, M., 2005, In: Rundbrief Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung. 10 Jahre WTO. Kein Grund zum Feiern, 01, p. 23 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer