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

    Intrinsic, instrumental and relational values behind nature’s contributions to people preferences of nature visitors in Germany

    Kachler, J., Felipe-Lucia, M. R., Isaac, R., Bonn, A. & Martín-López, B., 07.2024, In: Ecosystems and People. 20, 1, 17 p., 2342361.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Intrinsic Motivation in Bilingual Courses on Bionics and Molecular Biology in an Out-of-School Lab

    Rodenhauser, A. & Preisfeld, A., 2018, Challenges in Biology Education Research. Gericke, N. & Grace, M. (eds.). Karlstad: European Researchers in Didactics of Biology, p. 120-134 15 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Introducing education for sustainable development into Egyptian schools

    Sewilam, H., McCormack, O., Mader, M. & Abdel Raouf, M., 04.2015, In: Environment, Development and Sustainability. 17, 2, p. 221-238 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Introducing the MusicLab Copenhagen Dataset

    Høffding, S., Bergstrøm, R. J. F., Bishop, L., Lucas, P., Burnim, K., Cancino-Chacón, C., Clim, A., Good, M., Hansen, N. C., Karlsen, E. S., Kvale, L. H., Laeng, B., Lartillot, O., Lippert, E., Martin, R., Nielsen, N., Omprakash, R., Paulsrud, T. S., Rosas, F., Swarbrick, D., Sørbø, S., Upham, F., Vrasdonk, A., Vuoskoski, J., Wallot, S., Yi, W., Danielsen, A. & Jensenius, A. R., 03.2025, In: Music and Science. 8, p. 1-7 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Introduction: New Trends and Interdisciplinary Challenges in Environmental Sociology

    Heinrichs, H. & Groß, M., 2010, Environmental Sociology : European Perspectives and Interdisciplinary Challenges. Gross, M. & Heinrichs, H. (eds.). Dordrecht u.a.: Springer, p. 1-16 16 p.

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

  6. Published

    Introduction

    Barth, M., Michelsen, G., Rieckmann, M. & Thomas, I., 10.2015, Routledge Handbook of Higher Education for Sustainable Development. Barth, M., Michelsen, G., Rieckmann, M. & Thomas, I. (eds.). London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 1 - 7 7 p.

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

  7. Published

    Introduction: Perspectives on Resilience Research

    Halberstadt, J. & Faasch, H., 2021, Resilience, Entrepreneurship and ICT: Latest Research from Germany, South Africa, Mozambique and Namibia. Halberstadt, J., Gomez, J. M., Greyling, J., Kaunapawa Mufeti, T. & Faasch, H. (eds.). Cham: Springer, p. xiii-xxix 17 p. (CSR, Sustainability, Ethics and Governance).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksOtherResearch

  8. Published

    Introduction: Wealth, Inequality and Redistribution in Capitalist Societies

    Lierse, H., Sachweh, P. & Waitkus, N., 01.12.2022, In: Social Justice Research. 35, 4, p. 367-378 12 p.

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

  9. Published

    Introduction bias affects relationships between the characteristics of ornamental alien plants and their naturalization success

    Maurel, N., Hanspach, J., Kühn, I., Pyšek, P., van Kleunen, M. & Evans, K., 01.12.2016, In: Global Ecology and Biogeography. 25, 12, p. 1500-1509 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Introduction to the Assessment - Characteristics of the Region

    Quante, M., Colijn, F., Bakker, J. P., Härdtle, W., Heinrich, H., Lefebvre, C., Nöhren, I., Olesen, J. E., Pohlmann, T., Sterr, H., Sündermann, J. & Tölle, M. H., 01.09.2016, North Sea Region Climate Change Assessment. Quante, M. & Colijn, F. (eds.). 1. ed. Cham: Springer, p. 1-52 52 p. (Regional Climate Studies).

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