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

    Interaktive Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung von Unternehmen: Konzeption und Analyse der Internetnutzung von GF-500-Unternehmen hinsichtlich der Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung

    Kim, K., 2005, Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang Verlag. 248 p. (Europäische Hochschulschriften)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  2. Published

    Interaktive Videoformate für den naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht: Vom Rezipieren zum Interagieren

    Meier, M., Stinken-Rösner, L. & Zeller, D., 07.2022, In: Unterricht Biologie. 475, p. 44-47 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  3. Published

    Inter- and intraspecific consumer trait variations determine consumer diversity effects in multispecies predator−prey systems

    Flöder, S., Bromann, L. & Moorthi, S., 16.05.2018, In: Aquatic Microbial Ecology. 81, 3, p. 243-256 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Interannual variation in land-use intensity enhances grassland multidiversity

    Allan, E., Bossdorf, O., Dormann, C. F., Prati, D., Gossner, M. M., Tscharntke, T., Blüthgen, N., Bellach, M., Birkhofer, K., Boch, S., Böhm, S., Börschig, C., Chatzinotas, A., Christ, S., Daniel, R., Diekötter, T., Fischer, C., Friedl, T., Glaser, K., Hallmann, C., Hodac, L., Hölzel, N., Jung, K., Klein, A. M., Klaus, V. H., Kleinebecker, T., Krauss, J., Lange, M., Morris, E. K., Müller, J., Nacke, H., Pašalić, E., Rillig, M. C., Rothenwöhrer, C., Schall, P., Scherber, C., Schulze, W., Socher, S. A., Steckel, J., Steffan-Dewenter, I., Türke, M., Weiner, C. N., Werner, M., Westphal, C., Wolters, V., Wubet, T., Gockel, S., Gorke, M., Hemp, A., Renner, S. C., Schöning, I., Pfeiffer, S., König-Ries, B., Buscot, F., Linsenmair, K. E., Schulze, E. D., Weisser, W. W. & Fischer, M., 07.01.2014, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA). 111, 1, p. 308-313 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Interconnected place-based social–ecological research can inform global sustainability

    Balvanera, P., Calderón-Contreras, R., Castro, A. J., Felipe-Lucia, M. R., Geijzendorffer, I. R., Jacobs, S., Martín-López, B., Arbieu, U., Speranza, C. I., Locatelli, B., Harguindeguy, N. P., Mercado, I. R., Spierenburg, M. J., Vallet, A., Lynes, L. & Gillson, L., 01.12.2017, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. 29, p. 1-7 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  6. Published

    Interculturality as background for sustainability

    Guerra González, J., 2009, Sustainability in Karamoja? : Rethinking the Terms of Global Sustainability in a Crisis Region of Africa . Knaute, D. & Kagan, S. (eds.). Köln: Rüdiger Koppe, Vol. 12. p. 263-270 8 p. (Topics in Interdisciplinary African Studies ; vol. 12).

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

  7. Published

    Interdependencies between Biotic and Abiotic Ferrous Iron Oxidation and Influence of pH, Oxygen and Ferric Iron Deposits

    Eggerichs, T., Opel, O., Otte, T. & Ruck, W., 07.2014, In: Geomicrobiology Journal. 31, 6, p. 461-472 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research: finding the common ground of multi-faceted concepts

    von Wehrden, H., Guimarães, M. H., Bina, O., Varanda, M., Lang, D. J., John, B., Gralla, F., Alexander, D., Raines, D., White, A. & Lawrence, R. J., 07.05.2019, In: Sustainability Science. 14, 3, p. 875-888 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published
  10. Published

    Interdisciplinary Review of Medium-deep Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage in North Germany

    Holstenkamp, L., Meisel, M., Neidig, P., Opel, O., Steffahn, J., Strodel, N., Lauer, J. J., Vogel, M., Degenhart, H., Michalzik, D., Schomerus, C.-T., Schönebeck, J. & Növig, T., 01.10.2017, In: Energy Procedia. 135, p. 327-336 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference article in journalResearchpeer-review