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

    Mixed afforestation of young subtropical trees promotes nitrogen acquisition and retention

    Lang, A. C., von Oheimb, G., Härdtle, W., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Yang, B., Ma, K., Trogisch, S. & Bruelheide, H., 02.2014, In: Journal of Applied Ecology. 51, 1, p. 224-233 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Mixed farmers' perception of the ecological-economic performance of diversified farming

    Rosa-Schleich, J., Loos, J., Ferrante, M., Mußhoff, O. & Tscharntke, T., 01.06.2024, In: Ecological Economics. 220, 11 p., 108174.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Mobile Kommunikation - Umweltbewusst handeln: Materialien für Lehrkräfte Klassen 5 bis 8

    Fischer, D., Bookhagen, B., Niehoff, S. & Nordmann, J., 2014, Berlin: Informationszentrum Mobilfunk (IZMF). 12 p. (Mobilfunk im Unterricht)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCompendium/lecture notesEducation

  4. Published

    Mobile phone signals and protest crowds: Performing an Unstable Post-Media Constellation

    Leistert, O., 2017, Performing the Digital: Performativity and Performance Studies in Digital Cultures. Leeker, M., Schipper, I. & Beyes, T. (eds.). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 137 - 154 18 p.

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

  5. Published

    Mobiler Hochwasserschutz

    Koppe, B. & Brinkmann, B., 09.2010, In: Florian express. September 2010, p. 360-369 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  6. Published

    Mobilitätsverhalten und Klimaschutz: Minderung von Treibhausgasen durch zielgruppenspezifische Mobilitätsdienstleistungen

    Hunecke, M., Grischkat, S., Haustein, S. & Böhler, S., 2007, In: mobilogisch!. 28, 2, p. 17-21 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  7. Published

    Model-based estimation of pesticides and transformation products and their export pathways in a headwater catchment

    Gassmann, M., Stamm, C., Olsson, O., Lange, J., Kümmerer, K. & Weiler, M., 23.12.2013, In: Hydrology and Earth System Sciences. 17, 12, p. 5213–5228 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Model choice and size distribution: a Bayequentist approach

    Engler, J.-O. & Baumgärtner, S., 28.02.2013, Lüneburg: Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Lüneburg, 34 p. (Working Paper Series in Economics; no. 265).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  9. Published

    Model choice and size distribution: a Bayequentist approach

    Engler, J.-O. & Baumgärtner, S., 04.2015, In: American Journal of Agricultural Economics. 97, 3, p. 978-997 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Modeling and predicting aquatic aerobic biodegradation: a review from a user’s perspective.

    Rücker, C. & Kümmerer, K., 04.2012, In: Green Chemistry . 14, 4, p. 875-887 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch