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

    Social capital, resource constraints and low growth communities: Lifestyle entrepreneurs in Nicaragua

    Klapper, R., Upham, P. & Kurronen, K., 22.10.2018, In: Sustainability. 10, 10, 3813.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Social capital strengthens agency among fish farmers: Small scale aquaculture in Bulacan, Philippines

    Manlosa, A. O., Albrecht, J. & Riechers, M., 21.02.2023, In: Frontiers in Aquaculture. 2, 14 p., 1106416.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Social Conflicts on Agro-Biotechnology: Conflicting Interests and Conflict of Interest in the Debate on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

    Friedrich, B., Gottschlich, D. & Sulmowski, J. A., 15.06.2011, Conflict of Interest in Central and Eastern Europe. Burdziej, S. & Szalacha, J. (eds.). Zysk i S-ka Wydawnictwo, p. 33-52

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

  4. Published
  5. Published

    Social dynamics of community resilience building in the face of climate change: the case of three Scottish communities

    Fazey, I., Carmen, E., Ross, H., Rao-Williams, J., Hodgson, A., Searle, B. A., AlWaer, H., Kenter, J. O., Knox, K., Butler, J. R. A., Murray, K. A., Smith, F. M., Stringer, L. C. & Thankappan, S., 01.09.2021, In: Sustainability Science. 16, 5, p. 1731-1747 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Social Entrepreneurs and Social Change: Tracing impacts of social entrepreneurship through ideas, structures, and practices

    Ney, S., Beckmann, M., Gräbnitz, D. & Mirkovic , R., 2014, In: International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing. 6, 1, p. 51-68 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Social Entrepreneurship – Altes Phänomen, neues Paradigma moderner Gesellschaften oder Vorbote eines Kapitalismus 2.0?

    Beckmann, M., 2011, Social Entrepreneurship – Social Business: Für die Gesellschaft unternehmen. Hackenberg, H. & Empter, S. (eds.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 67-85 19 p.

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

  8. Published

    Social Entrepreneurship and Broader Theories: Shedding New Light on the “Bigger Picture”

    Zeyen, A., Beckmann, M., Mueller, S., Dees, J. G., Khanin, D., Krueger, N., Murphy, P. J., Santos, F., Scarlata,, M., Walske, J. & Zacharakis, A., 01.03.2013, In: Journal of Social Entrepreneurship. 4, 1, p. 88-107 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published
  10. Published

    Social entrepreneurship orientation: development of a measurement scale

    Kraus, S., Niemand, T., Halberstadt, J., Shaw, E. & Syrjä, P., 16.10.2017, In: International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research. 23, 6, p. 977-997 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review