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

    Autotrophic and heterotrophic microalgae and cyanobacteria cultivation for food and feed: life cycle assessment

    Smetana, S., Sandmann, M., Rohn, S., Pleißner, D. & Heinz, V., 01.12.2017, In: Bioresource Technology. 245, Part A, p. 162-170 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    A Voxel-based technique to estimate the volume of trees from terrestrial laser scanner data

    Bienert, A., Hess, C., Maas, H. G. & Von Oheimb, G., 05.06.2014, In: International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences - ISPRS Archives. 40, 5, p. 101-106 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference article in journalResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Awareness and Application of Sustainability Management Tools in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

    Johnson, M., 2013, Academy of Management Proceedings: Organizations & The Natural Environment. Academy of Management (Briarcliff Manor, NY) , 1 p. (Academy of Management Proceedings; vol. 2013).

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

  4. Published

    A web- And mobile-based intervention for comorbid, recurrent depression in patients with chronic back pain on sick leave (get.back): Pilot randomized controlled trial on feasibility, user satisfaction, and effectiveness

    Schlicker, S., Baumeister, H., Buntrock, C., Sander, L., Paganini, S., Lin, J., Berking, M., Lehr, D. & Ebert, D. D., 15.04.2020, In: JMIR Mental Health. 7, 4, 21 p., e16398.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    A Web-Based Stress Management Intervention for University Students in Indonesia (Rileks): Feasibility Study Using a Pretest-Posttest Design

    Juniar, D., Van Ballegooijen, W., Schulte, M., Van Schaik, A., Passchier, J., Heber, E., Lehr, D., Sadarjoen, S. S. & Riper, H., 19.07.2022, In: JMIR Formative Research. 6, 7, 15 p., e37278.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    A whole-institution approach towards sustainability: a crucial aspect of higher education’s individual and collective engagement with the SDGs and beyond

    Kohl, K., Hopkins, C., Barth, M., Michelsen, G., Dlouhá, J., Razak, D. A., Abidin Bin Sanusi, Z. & Toman, I., 21.02.2022, In: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. 23, 2, p. 218-236 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    A world of abundance

    McDonough, W. & Braungart, M., 01.06.2000, In: Interfaces. 30, 3, p. 55-65 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Axel Springer Verlag: Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement am Druckstandort

    Bieder, T., Friese, A. & Hahn, T., 2002, Nachhaltig managen mit der Balanced Scorecard: Konzept und Fallstudien. Schaltegger, S. & Dyllick, T. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Dr. Gabler Verlag, p. 167-197 31 p.

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

  9. Published

    B7-H1 Selectively Controls TH17 Differentiation and Central Nervous System Autoimmunity via a Novel Non-PD-1-Mediated Pathway

    Herold, M., Posevitz, V., Chudyka, D., Hucke, S., Groß, C., Kurth, F., Leder, C., Loser, K., Kurts, C., Knolle, P., Klotz, L. & Wiendl, H., 15.10.2015, In: Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950). 195, 8, p. 3584-3595 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Bachelor Betriebswirtschaftslehre im Wandel: Integration der verantwortungsvollen Managementausbildung in die akademische Bildung

    Bekmeier-Feuerhahn, S., Hetze, K. & Klapper, R., 2018, CSR und Hochschulmanagement: Sustainable Education als neues Paradigma in Forschung und Lehre. Raueisen, M. & Kolb, M. (eds.). Berlin/Heidelberg: Gabler Verlag, p. 46-67 21 p. (Management-Reihe Corporate Social Responsibility).

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