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

    Is seashell powder suitable for phosphate recovery from fermentation broth?

    Peinemann, J. C., Krenz, L. & Pleißner, D., 25.03.2019, In: New Biotechnology. 49, p. 43-47 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Is small beautiful? The debate on the future of small individual farms in Poland

    Szumelda, A. U., 01.12.2013, In: Eastern European Countryside (EEC). 19, 1, p. 219-250 32 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Is subjective knowledge the key to fostering sustainable behavior? Mixed evidence from an education intervention in Mexico

    Redman, A. & Redman, E., 03.2017, In: Education Sciences. 7, 1, 38 p., 4.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Issues and Research Opportunities in Environmental Accounting

    Schaltegger, S. & Stinson, C. H., 1994, Basel: Wirtschaftswissenschaftliches Zentrum (WWZ) der Universität Basel, p. 1-20, 20 p. (WWZ-Discussion Paper; no. 9423).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  5. Published

    Ist der Naturschutz auf dem "Gender-Auge" blind? mehr Geschlechtergerechtigkeit gefordert

    Grüning, J., 2004, In: Rundbrief Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung. 3, p. 6-7 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  6. Published

    Is the reverse J-shaped diameter distribution universally applicable in European virgin beech forests?

    Westphal, C., Trerner, N., von Oheimb, G., Hansen, J., von Gadow, K. & Hardtle, W., 01.03.2006, In: Forest Ecology and Management. 223, 1-3, p. 75-83 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Is this a Smart City? Narratives of city smartness and their critical assessment

    Huber, A. & Mayer, I., 2015, Eceee summer study proceedings: eceee 2015 Summer Study; First fuel now; 1–6 June 2015 Belambra Les Criques, Toulon/Hyères, France. European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, Vol. 2. p. 817-824 8 p.

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

  8. Published

    Ist Wildnis planbar? Werte- und Interessenskonflikte in der raumbezogenen Umweltplanung anhand ausgewählter Wildnisprojekte

    Brouns, E., 2003, oekom verlag GmbH. 153 p. (Hochschulschriften zur Nachhaltigkeit)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  9. Published

    “It is not the CO2 itself, it’s the imbalance!”: Conceptual reconstruction of the carbon cycle in global warming

    Niebert, K. & Gropengießer, H., 2011, Authenticity in Biology Education: Benefits and Challenges; A selection of papers presented at the VIII th conference of European Researchers in Didactics of Biology (ERIDOB) 13-17 July 2010 University of Minho, Braga, Portugal . Yarden, A. & Carvalho, G. S. (eds.). Braga: CIEC, Universidade do Minho, p. 339-352 14 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearch

  10. Published

    “It shouldn’t look aggressive”: How conceptions about publics shape the development of mining exploration technologies

    Bleicher, A., Häßler, P. & David, M., 01.11.2022, In: Public Understanding of Science. 31, 8, p. 978-992 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review