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

    Pestizidrückstände in ländlichen und urbanen Grund- und Oberflächengewässern

    Olsson, O., Hensen, B., Lange, J., Ulrich, U., Pfannerstill, M., Steinmann, F. & Kümmerer, K., 2018, 51. Essener Tagung für Wasserwirtschaft „Wasserwirtschaft im Umbruch": Tagungsband. Pinnekamp, J. (ed.). Aachen: Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Siedlungswasserwirtschaft an der RWTH Aachen e.V., Vol. 247. p. 55/1-55/11 11 p.

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

  2. Published

    Petri net based EMIS-mappers for flexible manufacturing systems

    Möller, A., 2007, Information Technologies in Environmental Engineering, ITEE 2007 - 3rd International ICSC Symposium. Gomez, J. M., Sonnenschein, M., Müller, M., Welsch, H. & Rautenstrauch, C. (eds.). Kluwer Academic Publishers, p. 241-249 9 p. (Environmental Science and Engineering (Subseries: Environmental Science)).

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

  3. Published

    Pfad einer integrativen Gerechtigkeit

    Humburg, A., 2010, Gerechtigkeit und Verantwortung in der Klima- und Energiepolitik. Aufenanger, V., Friedrichsen, N. & Koch, S. (eds.). Münster: Verlagshaus Monsenstein und Vannerdat, p. 5-22

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

  4. Published

    Pflanzenbehandlungs- und Schädlingsbekämpfungsmittel in niedersächsischen Fließgewässern von 1994 bis 2001

    Schäfer, R. B., Palm, W.-U., Steffen, D. & Ruck, W., 06.2004, In: Hydrologie und Wasserbewirtschaftung. 48, 3, p. 117-125 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Pflanzengesellschaft des Jahres 2019: Die Glatthaferwiese

    Tischew, S., Dierschke, H., Schwabe, A., Garve, E., Heinken, T., Holzel, N., Bergmeier, E., Remy, D. & Härdtle, W., 2018, In: Tuexenia. 38, p. 287-295 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Pflanzengesellschaft des Jahres 2020: Borstgrasrasen

    Schwabe-Kratochwil, A., Tischew, S., Bergmeier, E., Garve, E., Härdtle, W., Heinken, T., Hölzel, N., Peppler-Lisbach, C., Remy, D. & Dierschke, H., 2019, In: Tuexenia. 39, p. 287-308 22 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Pflanzengesellschaft des Jahres 2021: Hartholz-Auenwald (Ficario-Ulmetum)

    Härdtle, W., Bergmeier, E., Fichtner, A., Heinken, T., Hölzel, N., Remy, D., Schneider, S., Schwabe, A., Tischew, S. & Dierschke, H., 01.01.2020, In: Tuexenia. 40, p. 373-399 27 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Pflanzengesellschaft des Jahres 2023: Die Strandlingsrasen (Littorelletea uniflorae p.p.)

    Remy, D., Tischew, S., Dierschke, H., Heinken, T., Hölzel, N., Bergmeier, E., Schneider, S., Horn, K. & Härdtle, W., 2023, In: Tuexenia. 42, p. 321-350 30 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Pflanzengesellschaft des Jahres 2025: Flechten-Kiefernwald (Cladino-Pinetum sylvestris)

    Horn, K., von Bracke, W., Ewald, J., Heinken, T., Becker, T., Bergmeier, E., Boch, S., Härdtle, W., Hölzel, N., Lütt, S., Remy, D., Schneider, S., Tischew, S. & Fischer, P., 2024, In: Tuexenia. 44, p. 177-213 37 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Pflege von Heidelandschaften

    Härdtle, W. & Oheimb, G., 10.09.2014, Re-Naturierung: Gesellschaft im Einklang mit der Natur. 1 ed. Stuttgart: S. Hirzel Verlag, p. 56-61 6 p. (Jahrbuch Ökologie; vol. 2015).

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