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

    Metaphern des Umweltmanagements

    Hroch, N., 2005, Marburg: Tectum Verlag. 250 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  2. Published

    Metaphern mehrsprachiger Schüler*innen zu abstrakten Phänomenen

    Sowinski, R. & Abels, S., 10.06.2024, Frühe naturwissenschaftliche Bildung : Gesellschaft für Didaktik der Chemie und Physik, Jahrestagung 2023 . van Vorst, H. (ed.). Essen: Gesellschaft für Didaktik der Chemie und Physik, p. 306 - 309 4 p. (Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Didaktik der Chemie und Physik; no. 50)(Tagungsband; vol. 44).

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

  3. Published
  4. Published

    Methane yield of biomass from extensive grassland is affected by compositional changes induced by order of arrival

    Popp, D., von Gillhaussen, P., Weidlich, E. W. A., Sträuber, H., Harms, H. & Temperton, V. M., 10.2017, In: Global Change Biology : Bioenergy. 9, 10, p. 1555 - 1562 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Methoden der Umweltbildungsforschung

    Bolscho, D. (Editor) & Michelsen, G. (Editor), 1999, Wiesbaden: Westdeutscher Verlag. 270 p. (Schriftenreihe "Okologie und Erziehungswissenschaft" der Arbeitsgruppe "Umweltbildung" der Deutschen Gesellschaft fur Erziehungswissenschaft; vol. 3)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesConference proceedingsResearch

  6. Published

    Methodenentwicklung zu Social Management: ein Forschungsprogramm der ZHW

    Winistörfer, H., Spirig, K., Teuscher, P., Dubielzig, F. & Furrer, B., 2005, Das Unternehmen in der Gesellschaft: die soziale Dimension der Nachhaltigkeit in Theorie und Praxis ; was leisten Schweizer Unternehmen?. Hildesheimer, G. (ed.). Zürich: Schweizerische Vereinigung für ökologisch bewußte Unternehmensführung, p. 62-66 5 p.

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

  7. Published

    Methoden inter- und transdisziplinären Arbeitens

    Godemann, J., 2008, Internationaler Masterstudiengang 'Sustainable Development and Management': Band 1: Handbuch für den Masterstudiengang. Michelsen, G., Barkin, D. & Rieckmann, M. (eds.). Frankfurt am Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 263-286 24 p.

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

  8. Published

    Methodenkombination in der Forschung zu nachhaltigem Konsum: Herangehensweisen, Herausforderungen und Mehrwert

    Jäger-Erben, M., Schäfer, M., Dalichau, D., Dehmel, C., Götz, K., Fischer, D., Homburg, A., Schulz, M. & Zundel, S., 2011, Wesen und Wege nachhaltigen Konsums: Ergebnisse aus dem Themenschwerpunkt "Vom Wissen zum Handeln - Neue Wege zum nachhaltigen Konsum". Defila, R., DiGiulio, A. & Kaufmann-Hayoz, R. (eds.). oekom verlag GmbH, p. 157–175 19 p.

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

  9. Published

    Methoden transdisziplinärer Forschung: Ein Überblick mit Anwendungsbeispielen

    Bergmann, M., Jahn, T., Knobloch, T., Krohn, W., Pohl, C. & Schramm, E., 2010, Frankfurt am Main: Campus Verlag. 295 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  10. Published

    Methoden transdisziplinärer Forschung und Lehre: ein zusammenfassender Überblick

    Dubielzig, F. & Schaltegger, S., 11.2004, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 27 p.

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers