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

    The influence of feedback and awareness of consequences on the development of corporate sustainability action over time

    Hörisch, J., Wulfsberg, I. M. & Schaltegger, S., 01.02.2020, In: Business Strategy and the Environment. 29, 2, p. 638 - 650 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    The influence of habitat quality on populations: A plea for an amended approach in the conservation of Agonum ericeti

    Drees, C., Vermeulen, R., Aßmann, T. & Matern, A., 2007, In: Baltic Journal of Coleopterology. 7, 1, p. 1-8 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  3. Published

    The Influence of ISO 14001 and EMAS Certification on Environmental and Economic Performance of Firms: An Empirical Analysis

    Wagner, M., 01.01.2003, Environmental management accounting: Purpose and Progress. Bennett, M., Rikhardsson, P. M. & Schaltegger, S. (eds.). Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, p. 367-386 20 p.

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

  4. Published

    The influence of landscape change on multiple dimensions of human–nature connectedness

    Riechers, M., Balázsi, Á., Abson, D. J. & Fischer, J., 01.09.2020, In: Ecology and Society. 25, 3, p. 1-12 12 p., 3.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    The influence of leaf litter diversity and soil fauna on initial soil erosion in subtropical forests

    Seitz, S., Goebes, P., Zumstein, P., Aßmann, T., Kühn, P., Niklaus, P. A., Schuldt, A. & Scholten, T., 15.09.2015, In: Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. 40, 11, p. 1439-1447 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    The influence of native versus exotic streetscape vegetation on the spatial distribution of birds in suburbs and reserves

    Ikin, K., Knight, E., Lindenmayer, D. B., Fischer, J. & Manning, A. D., 03.2013, In: Diversity and Distributions. 19, 3, p. 294-306 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    The influence of sustainability knowledge and attitude on sustainable intention and behaviour of Malaysian and Indonesian undergraduate students

    Saleh, M. S. M., Mehellou, A., Huang, M. & Briandana, R., 12.2022, In: Research in Comparative and International Education. 17, 4, p. 677-693 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  8. Published

    The Information-anchoring model of first-offers: When moving first helps versus hurts negotiators

    Loschelder, D. D., Trötschel, R., Swaab, R. I., Friese, M. & Galinsky, A. D., 01.07.2016, In: Journal of Applied Psychology. 101, 7, p. 995-1012 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    The informed society: Final report on the cooperation programme INTERREG-IIIB project “SAFECOAST”

    Lüdecke, G. & Knolle, M., 03.2008, 41 p.

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsResearch

  10. Published

    The informed society - Final report of SAFECOAST action 2

    Heinrichs, H., Grunenberg, H. & Knolle, M., 09.2007, 80 p.

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsResearch