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

    Nachhaltige Raumentwicklung für die große Transformation: Perspektiven und Barrieren für die räumliche Planung

    Hofmeister, S. & Warner, B., 2022, In: Nachrichten der ARL. 52, 1, p. 8-11 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Nachhaltige Raumentwicklung für die große Transformation – Herausforderungen, Barrieren und Perspektiven für Raumwissenschaften und Raumplanung

    Hofmeister, S. (Editor), Warner, B. (Editor) & Ott, Z. (Editor), 2021, Hannover: Akademie für Raumforschung und Landesplanung (ARL). 233 p. (Forschungsberichte der ARL; vol. 15)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  3. Published

    Nachhaltige Raumentwicklung und Geschlechterverhältnisse

    Thiem, A., 2013, Geschlechterverhältnisse und Nachhaltigkeit: Die Kategorie "Geschlecht" in den Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Hofmeister, S., Katz, C. & Mölders, T. (eds.). Leverkusen-Opladen: Verlag Babara Budrich, p. 200-208 9 p.

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

  4. Published

    Nachhaltige Regionalentwicklung als Kontext für ökonomische Bildung

    Stoltenberg, U., 2008, Ökonomische Bildung mit Kindern und Jugendlichen. Bolscho, D. & Hauenschild, K. (eds.). Frankfurt am Main [u.a.]: Peter Lang Verlag, p. 170-179 10 p. (Umweltbildung und Zukunftsfähigkeit ; vol. 5).

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

  5. Published

    Nachhaltiger Konsum

    Fischer, D. & von Hauff, M., 01.2017, Wiesbaden: Hessische Landeszentrale für politische Bildung. 56 p. (Schriftenreihe Nachhaltigkeit; no. 3)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  6. Published

    Nachhaltiger Konsum als Bildungsherausforderung: Perspektiven für die Gestaltung von Schule und Unterricht

    Fischer, D., 08.2016, In: Politik unterrichten. 31, 1, p. 37-46 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  7. Published

    Nachhaltiger Konsum – Der Unterschied zwischen subjektiv und objektiv um-weltfreundlichem Kaufverhalten

    Haubach, C. & Moser, A., 2016, Forschung für Nachhaltigkeit an deutschen Hochschulen. Leal Filho, W. (ed.). Wiesbaden: Springer Spektrum, p. 297-311 15 p.

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

  8. Published

    Nachhaltiger Konsum: (k)ein Thema für die Berufsbildende Schule?

    Fischer, D. & Raschpichler, N., 2012, In: Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik online. 8, p. 15-24 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesEducation

  9. Published

    Nachhaltiger Konsum: Wie lässt sich Nachhaltigkeit im Konsum beurteilen?

    Fischer, D., Michelsen, G., Blättel-Mink, B. & Di Giulio, A., 2011, Wesen und Wege nachhaltigen Konsums: Ergebnisse aus dem Themenschwerpunkt "Vom Wissen zum Handeln - Neue Wege zum nachhaltigen Konsum". Defila, R., Di Giulio, A. & Kaufmann-Hayoz, R. (eds.). München: oekom verlag GmbH, p. 73-88 16 p. (Ergebnisse Sozial-Ökologischer Forschung; vol. 13).

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

  10. Published

    Nachhaltiger Mittelstand KMU: Praxis und Forschung

    Schaltegger, S. (Editor), 2013, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management. 18 p. (CSM-Impulse; vol. 01/2013)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesSpecial Journal issueTransfer