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

    Assessing Effects Through Semi-Field and Field Toxicity Testing

    Pettis, J., Tornier, I., Clook, M., Wallner, K., Vaissiere, B., Stadler, T., Hou, W., Maynard, G., Becker, R., Coulson, M., Jourdan, P., Vaughan, M., Nocelli, R. C. F., Scott-Dupree, C., Johansen, E., Brittain, C., Dinter, A. & Kasina, M., 14.07.2014, Pesticide Risk Assessment for Pollinators. Fischer, D. & Moriarty, T. (eds.). Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia, p. 95-119 25 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  2. Published

    Assessing Exposure of Pesticides to Bees

    Wisk, J., Pistorius, J., Beevers, M., Bireley, R., Browning, Z., Chauzat, M. P., Nikolakis, A., Overmyer, J., Rose, R., Sebastien, R., Vaissière, B., Maynard, G., Kasina, M., Nocelli, R. C. F., Scott-Dupree, C., Johansen, E., Brittain, C., Coulson, M., Dinter, A. & Vaughan, M., 14.07.2014, Pesticide Risk Assessment for Pollinators. Fischer, D. & Moriarty, T. (eds.). Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia, p. 45-74 30 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  3. Published

    Assessing Knowledge Cumulation in Earth System Governance Research: Codebook and Aggregation Rules

    Newig, J. & Rose, M., 2024, SSRN Social Science Research Network, 14 p. (SSRN Electronic Journal).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  4. Published

    Assessing mire-specific biodiversity with an indicator based approach

    Hammerich, J., Dammann, C., Schulz, C., Tanneberger, F., Zeitz, J. & Luthardt, V., 01.10.2022, In: Mires and Peat. 28, 29 p., 32.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Assessing nature-based solutions for transformative change

    Palomo, I., Locatelli, B., Otero, I., Colloff, M. J., Crouzat, E., Cuni-Sanchez, A., Gómez-Baggethun, E., González-García, A., Grêt-Regamey, A., Jiménez-Aceituno, A., Martín-López, B., Pascual, U., Zafra-Calvo, N., Bruley, E., Fischborn, M., Metz, R. & Lavorel, S., 21.05.2021, In: One Earth. 4, 5, p. 730-741 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Assessing nature’s contributions to people: Recognizing culture, and diverse sources of knowledge, can improve assessments

    Díaz, S., Pascual, U., Stenseke, M., Martín-López, B., Watson, R. T., Molnár, Z., Hill, R., Chan, K. M. A., Baste, I. A., Brauman, K. A., Polasky, S., Church, A., Lonsdale, M., Larigauderie, A., Leadley, P. W., Van Oudenhoven, A. P. E., Van Der Plaat, F., Schröter, M., Lavorel, S., Aumeeruddy-Thomas, Y., Bukvareva, E., Davies, K., Demissew, S., Erpul, G., Failler, P., Guerra, C. A., Hewitt, C. L., Keune, H., Lindley, S. & Shirayama, Y., 19.01.2018, In: Science. 359, 6373, p. 270-272 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  7. Published

    Assessing Online Consultation in Participatory Governance: Conceptual Framework and a Case Study of a National Sustainability-related Consultation Platform in Germany

    Schulz, D. & Newig, J., 01.01.2015, In: Environmental Policy and Governance. 25, 1, p. 55-69 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Assessing participatory practices in community-based natural resource management: Experiences in community engagement from southern Africa

    Dyer, J., Stringer, L. C., Dougill, A. J., Leventon, J., Nshimbi, M., Chama, F., Kafwifwi, A., Muledi, J. I., Kaumbu, J. M. K., Falcao, M., Muhorro, S., Munyemba, F., Kalaba, G. M. & Syampungani, S., 01.05.2014, In: Journal of Environmental Management. 137, p. 137-145 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Assessing protected area effectiveness in western Tanzania: Insights from repeated line transect surveys

    Kiffner, C., Giliba, R. A., Fust, P., Loos, J. & Waltert, M., 12.2023, In: African Journal of Ecology. 61, 4, p. 966-979 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Assessing social-ecological vulnerability of coastal systems to fishing and tourism

    Lazzari, N., Becerro, M. A., Sanabria-Fernandez, J. A. & Martín-López, B., 25.08.2021, In: Science of the Total Environment. 784, 13 p., 147078.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review