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

    Politik für ein nachhaltiges Europa

    Heinrichs, H. & Laws, N., 2013, Mut zu Visionen : Brücken in die Zukunft; in memoriam Werner Schenkel. Leitschuh, H., Michelsen, G., Simonis, U. E., Sommer, J. & von Weizsäcker, E. U. (eds.). Stuttgart: S. Hirzel Verlag, p. 32-43 12 p. (Jahrbuch Ökologie; vol. 2014).

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

  2. Published

    Politik zwischen Stadt und Land: Die Bedeutung des Ruralen im Streit um Agro-Gentechnik

    Friedrich, B., 2018, Rurbane Landschaften: Perspektiven des Ruralen in einer urbanisierten Welt. Sigrun, L. & Fröhlich-Kulik, M. (eds.). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 263-274 12 p. (Rurale Topografien; vol. 7).

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

  3. Published

    Politische Meinungsbildung im Dialog von Wissenschaft und Politik: Eine sozialwissenschaftliche Reflexion der Erfolgsbedingungen anhand des Agrarbereiches

    Heinrichs, H., Kropp, C. & Wagner, J., 2007, Die Zukunft der Wissenskommunikation: Perspektiven für einen reflexiven Dialog von Wissenschaft und Politik - am Beispiel des Agrarbereichs. Kropp, C., Schiller, F. & Wagner, J. (eds.). Berlin: edition sigma, p. 51-79 29 p.

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

  4. Published

    Politische Vorfahrt für biologische Vielfalt: Politikbarometer zur Biodiversität in Deutschland

    Laws, N., 2014, Berlin: WWF, 86 p.

    Research output: Working paperExpert opinions

  5. Published

    Pollen und Sporen – Schlüssel zur Vegetation des Eiszeitalters

    Urban, B., 2018, 300.000 Jahre Spitzentechnik.: der altsteinzeitliche Fundplatz Schöningen und die ältesten Speere der Menschheit. Terberger, T., Böhner, U., F. H. & A. K. (eds.). Darmstadt: Theiss Verlag, p. 48-52 5 p. (Edition AiD).

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

  6. Published

    Pollination and Plant Resources Change the Nutritional Quality of Almonds for Human Health

    Brittain, C., Kremen, C., Garber, A. K. & Klein, A.-M., 27.02.2014, In: PLoS ONE. 9, 2, 7 p., e90082.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Pollination mitigates cucumber yield gaps more than pesticide and fertilizer use in tropical smallholder gardens

    Motzke, I., Tscharntke, T., Wanger, T. C. & Klein, A. M., 02.2015, In: Journal of Applied Ecology. 52, 1, p. 261-269 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Pollination of apple variaties across Europe: Dependecy on cross pollination and visitor communities

    Boreux, V. E., Garratt, M., Klein, A.-M., Kovacs-Hostyánszki, A., Mayer, A., Somay, L. & Steffan-Dewenter, I., 2013, Building Bridges in Ecology – Linking Systems, Scales and Disciplines: Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Ökologie. Göttingen: Gesellschaft für Ökologie, p. 85 1 p. (Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft für Ökologie; no. 43).

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

  9. Published

    Pollination of Camelina sativa and Thlaspi arvense: Two new potential oil crop species in Germany

    Groeneveld, J. H. & Klein, A.-M., 2012, From Basic Ecology to the Challenges of Modern Society: 42nd annual meeting Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ökologie. Drees, C. & von Oheimb, G. (eds.). Gesellschaft für Ökologie, p. 254-255 1 p. (Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft für Ökologie; no. 42).

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

  10. Published

    Pollination of two oil-producing plant species: Camelina (Camelina sativa L. Crantz) and pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) double-cropping in Germany

    Groeneveld, J. H. & Klein, A.-M., 05.2014, In: Global Change Biology : Bioenergy. 6, 3, p. 242-251 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review