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

    Routledge Handbook of Higher Education for Sustainable Development

    Michelsen, G. (Editor), Barth, M. (Editor), Rieckmann, M. (Editor) & Thomas, I. (Editor), 2016, London and New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. 477 p. (Routledge international handbooks)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  2. Published

    RSE, management responsable et isomorphisme institutionnel : une analyse à partir des résultats d’une enquête internationale

    Ben Rhouma, A., Koleva, P. & Schaltegger, S., 2018, In: Management International. 22, 3, p. 65-78 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Rule-based analysis of throughfall kinetic energy to evaluate biotic and abiotic factor thresholds to mitigate erosive power

    Goebes, P., Schmidt, K., Härdtle, W., Seitz, S., Stumpf, F., von Oheimb, G. & Scholten, T., 01.06.2016, In: Progress in Physical Geography. 40, 3, p. 431-449 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Rural electrification efforts based on off-grid photovoltaic systems in the Andean Region: Comparative assessment of their sustainability

    Feron, S., Cordero, R. R. & Labbe, F., 11.10.2017, In: Sustainability. 9, 10, 24 p., 1825.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Sachunterricht als Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung

    Stoltenberg, U., 2004, Sich bilden im Sachunterricht. Hempel, M. (ed.). Bad Heilbrunn/Obb.: Klinkhardt, p. 79-90 12 p.

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

  6. Published

    Sachunterricht für das 21. Jahrhundert. Mit dem Konzept Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung arbeiten

    Stoltenberg, U., Asmussen, S., Golly, N., Holz, V., Kosler, T., Offen, S. & Uzun, B., 2013, Der Sachunterricht und seine Didaktik: Bestände prüfen und Perspektiven entwickeln. Fischer, H.-J., Giest, H. & Pech, D. (eds.). Bad Heilbrunn: Verlag Julius Klinkhardt, p. 99-120 22 p. (Probleme und Perspektiven des Sachunterrichts; vol. 23).

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

  7. Published

    Sachunterricht für das 21. Jahrhundert - Weltorientierung durch Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung

    Stoltenberg, U., 2013, Weltorientierung durch Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung: Theoretische Grundlagen und Praxis des Sachunterrichts in der Grundschule. Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, Vol. 1. p. 13-45 33 p. (Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung in Kindergarten und Grundschule. Lüneburger Beiträge.; vol. 1).

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

  8. Published

    Sachunterricht in Bildungslandschaften: Kooperation, Vernetzung, Partizipation: Und die Aus- und Weiterbildung von Lehrpersonen?

    Offen, S., 2013, Weltorientierung durch Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung: Theoretische Grundlagen und Praxis des Sachunterrichts in der Grundschule. Stoltenberg, U. (ed.). Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, Vol. 1. p. 119-128 10 p. (Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung in Kindergarten und Grundschule. Lüneburger Beiträge.; vol. 1).

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

  9. Published

    Sachunterricht: Innovatives Lernen für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung

    Stoltenberg, U., 2004, Neuere Konzeptionen und Zielsetzungen im Sachunterricht. Kaiser, A. & Pech, D. (eds.). Baltmannsweiler: Schneider Verlag Hohengehren, p. 58-66 9 p. (Basiswissen Sachunterricht; vol. 2).

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

  10. Published

    Safe-and-sustainable-by-design: State of the art approaches and lessons learned from value chain perspectives

    Apel, C., Kümmerer, K., Sudheshwar, A., Nowack, B., Som, C., Colin, C., Walter, L., Breukelaar, J., Meeus, M., Ildefonso, B., Petrovykh, D., Elyahmadi, C., Huttunen-Saarivirta, E., Dierckx, A., Devic, A. C., Valsami-Jones, E., Brennan, M., Rocca, C., Scheper, J., Strömberg, E. & Soeteman-Hernández, L. G., 01.02.2024, In: Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry. 45, 16 p., 100876.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch