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

    Praxis essen Wissenschaft auf? Von den Gefahren des Gelingens einer transdisziplinären Zusammenarbeit

    Nemnich, C. & Fischer, D., 2016, Transdisziplinär forschen - zwischen Ideal und gelebter Praxis: Hotspots, Geschichten, Wirkungen. Defila, R. & Di Giulio, A. (eds.). Frankfurt am Main: Campus Verlag, p. 145-187 43 p.

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

  2. Published

    Praxisorientierte Weiterbildung zu nachhaltiger Regionalentwicklung: Projekterfahrungen aus Lettland und der Slowakei.

    Adomßent, M., 2006, Umweltkooperationen in der erweiterten Europäischen Union: 11. Internationale Sommerakademie St. Marienthal. Brickwedde, F. & Witte, U. (eds.). Berlin: Erich Schmidt Verlag, p. 179-184 6 p. (Initiativen zum Umweltschutz; vol. 66).

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

  3. Published

    Praxis-Wörterbuch Umwelt, Naturschutz, Nachhaltigkeit: Deutsch-Englisch

    Schreiner, J. & Hutter, C.-P., 2008, 2. ed. Stuttgart: Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft. 729 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  4. Published

    Praxis-Wörterbuch Umwelt, Naturschutz und Landnutzungen: deutsch - englisch ; English - German

    Schreiner, J. & Hutter, C.-P., 2004, Stuttgart: Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft. 556 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesScholarly editions and encyclopediaResearch

  5. Published

    PRBs for remediation of PAHs, BTEX and related contaminants

    Palm, W.-U., Mänz, J. S. & Ruck, W., 2011, CLEANUP 2011: 4TH INTERNATIONAL CONTAMINATED SITE REMEDIATION CONFERENCE, PROGRAM AND PROCEEDINGS. CRC CARE , p. 5-6 2 p.

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

  6. Published

    PRB technologies in Germany: Recent progress and new developments

    Birke, V., Burmeier, H. & Rosenau, D., 01.10.2002, Remediation of Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds - 2002: Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Remediation of Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds. Gavaskar, A. R. & Chen, A. S. C. (eds.). Columbus, OH: Battelle Presse, p. 521-528 8 p. (Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Remediation of Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds).

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

  7. Published

    Precrop functional group identity affects yield of winter barley but less so high carbon amendments in a mesocosm experiment

    van Duijnen, R., Roy, J., Härdtle, W. & Temperton, V. M., 03.07.2018, In: Frontiers in Plant Science. 9, 12 p., 912.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Predation risk indirectly enhances survival of seaweed recruits but not intraspecific competition in an intermediate herbivore species

    Molis, M., Preuss, I., Firmenich, A. & Ellrich, J., 05.2011, In: Journal of Ecology. 99, 3, p. 807-817 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Predator assemblage structure and temporal variability of species richness and abundance in forests of high tree diversity

    Schuldt, A., Bruelheide, H., Härdtle, W. & Aßmann, T., 11.2012, In: Biotropica. 44, 6, p. 793-800 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Predator diversity and abundance provide little support for the enemies hypothesis in forests of high tree diversity

    Schuldt, A., Both, S., Bruelheide, H., Härdtle, W., Schmid, B., Zhou, H. & Aßmann, T., 28.07.2011, In: PLoS ONE. 6, 7, 8 p., e22905.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review