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

    Intentionelle Modifizierung des Lipidprofils des initialen oralen Biofilms durch Mundspülung mit Leinöl

    Reich, M., Kümmerer, K., Robertson, J., Hannig, M. & Hannig, C., 2017, In: Deutsche Zahnärztliche Zeitschrift. 72, S, p. D8 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference abstract in journalResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Interacciones entre plantas y animales

    Pacheco, L. F., Aparicio, J., Benavides Frias, C., Escobar, M., Galeón, R., García, E., Guerra, F., Gómez, I., Larrea-Alcázar, D. M., Limachi, M., Maldonado, D., Miranda, B., Morales, D., Moya, M. I., Rico, A., Salazar-Bravo, J. & Tellería, L., 2017, Historia natural del valle de La Paz. Moya, M. I., Meneses, R. I. & Sarmiento, J. (eds.). 3 ed. La Paz: Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Bolicia (MNHN), p. 193-199 7 p.

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

  3. Published

    Interacting effects of pollination, water and nutrients on fruit tree performance

    Klein, A.-M., Hendrix, S. D., Clough, Y., Scofield, A. & Kremen, C., 01.01.2015, In: Plant Biology. 17, 1, p. 201-208 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Interaction between the barley allelochemical compounds gramine and hordenine and artificial lipid bilayers mimicking the plant plasma membrane

    Lebecque, S., Crowet, J. M., Lins, L., Delory, B. M., Du Jardin, P., Fauconnier, M. L. & Deleu, M., 28.06.2018, In: Scientific Reports. 8, 1, 13 p., 9784.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Interactions between species richness, herbivory and precipitation affect standing biomass in Mongolian rangelands

    Ahlborn, J., Wesche, K., Lang, B., Oyunbileg, M., Oyuntsetseg, B., Römermann, C., French Collier, N. & von Wehrden, H., 01.04.2021, In: Applied Vegetation Science. 24, 2, 12 p., e12581.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Interactive effects among ecosystem services and management practices on crop production: Pollination in coffee agroforestry systems

    Boreux, V., Kushalappa, C. G., Vaast, P. & Ghazoul, J., 21.05.2013, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA). 110, 21, p. 8387-8392 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Interactive effects of nitrogen deposition and climate change on a globally rare forest geophyte

    Ohse, B., Jansen, D., Härdtle, W. & Fichtner, A., 03.2025, In: Plant Biology. 27, 2, p. 297-309 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Interactive influence of livestock grazing and manipulated rainfall on soil properties in a humid tropical savanna

    Okach, D. O., Ondier, J. O., Kumar, A., Rambold, G., Tenhunen, J., Huwe, B. & Otieno, D., 11.03.2019, In: Journal of Soils and Sediments. 19, 3, p. 1088-1098 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Interactive priming effect of labile carbon and crop residues on SOM depends on residue decomposition stage: Three-source partitioning to evaluate mechanisms

    Shahbaz, M., Kumar, A., Kuzyakov, Y., Börjesson, G. & Blagodatskaya, E., 01.11.2018, In: Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 126, p. 179-190 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Interactive Sustainability Reporting: Developing Clear Target Group Tailoring and Stimulating Stakeholder Dialogue

    Isenmann, R. & Kim, K., 2006, Sustainability Accounting and Reporting. Schaltegger, S., Bennett, M. & Burritt, R. (eds.). Dordrecht: Springer Science+Business Media, p. 533-555 23 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review