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 Power of Words: Formation of Partnerships through Circular Startups

    Böckel, A., Farny, S. & Bocken, N., 01.08.2023, In: Academy of Management Proceedings. 2023, 1

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference abstract in journalResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    The presence of a "competitor pit effect" compromises wild rabbit (Orcytolagus cuniculus) conservation

    Cabezas-Díaz, S., Virgós, E., Mangas, J. G. & Lozano, J., 2011, In: Animal Biology. 61, 3, p. 319-334 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    The priority value of scrubland habitats for carnivore conservation in Mediterranean ecosystems

    Mangas, J. G., Lozano Mendoza, J., Cabezas-Díaz, S. & Virgós, E., 01.2008, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 17, 1, p. 43-51 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    The private and public insurance value of conservative biodiversity management

    Baumgärtner, S. & Quaas, M. F., 2006, Lüneburg: Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Lüneburg, 43 p. (Working paper series in economics; no. 33).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  5. Published

    The private sector in climate governance: Opportunities for climate compatible development through multilevel industry-government engagement

    Mildorfová-Leventon, J., Dyer, J. C. & Van Alstine, J. D., 01.09.2015, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 102, p. 316 - 323 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    The Problematic of Transdisciplinary Sustainability Sciences

    Meyer, E. M., 06.10.2020, Thinking the problematic: genealogies and explorations between philosophy and the sciences. Leistert, O. & Schrickel, I. (eds.). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 69-92 24 p. (Philosophy).

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

  7. Published

    The Problem of Institutional Fit: Uncovering Patterns with Boosted Decision Trees

    Epstein, G., Apetrei, C. I., Baggio, J., Chawla, S., Cumming, G., Gurney, G., Morrison, T., Unnikrishnan, H. & Tomas, S. V., 10.01.2024, In: International Journal of the Commons. 18, 1, p. 1-16 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    The Problems of Modern Societies — Epistemic Design around 1970

    Schrickel, I., 06.10.2020, Thinking the problematic: genealogies and explorations between philosophy and the sciences. Leistert, O. & Schrickel, I. (eds.). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 35-68 34 p. (Philosophy).

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

  9. Published

    The programme on ecosystem change and society (PECS) – a decade of deepening social-ecological research through a place-based focus

    Norström, A. V., Agarwal, B., Balvanera, P., Baptiste, B., Bennett, E. M., Brondízio, E., Biggs, R., Campbell, B., Carpenter, S. R., Castilla, J. C., Castro, A. J., Cramer, W., Cumming, G. S., Felipe-Lucia, M., Fischer, J., Folke, C., DeFries, R., Gelcich, S., Groth, J., Ifejika Speranza, C., Jacobs, S., Hofmann, J., Hughes, T. P., Lam, D. P. M., Loos, J., Manyani, A., Martín-López, B., Meacham, M., Moersberger, H., Nagendra, H., Pereira, L., Polasky, S., Schoon, M., Schultz, L., Selomane, O. & Spierenburg, M., 31.12.2022, In: Ecosystems and People. 18, 1, p. 598–608 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    The project CHEMOL: Science education for children - Teacher education for students!

    Steffensky, M. & Parchmann, I., 04.2007, In: Chemistry Education Research and Practice. 8, 2, p. 120-129 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review