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

    Untersuchungen zur Bewertung des Adsorptionsverhaltens heterocyclischer PAK auf Aktivkohle in teeölbelasteten Grundwässern

    Mänz, J. S., Naumann, E., Palm, W.-U. & Ruck, W., 2009, Wasser 2009: Tagungsband der Jahrestagung der Wasserchemischen Gesellschaft 2009. Wasserchemische Gesellschaft (ed.). GDCh, Wasserchemische Gesellschaft, p. 271-274 4 p.

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

  2. Published

    Untersuchungen zur Entwicklung von Anpassungsstrategien an den Klimawandel für die Überflutungsflächen an der unteren Mittelelbe.

    Krüger, F., Scharnke, M., Schneider, W. & Urban, B., 2014, Land- und Ernährungswirtschaft im Klimawandel: Auswirkungen, Anpassungsstrategien und Entscheidungshilfen. Bloch, R., Bachinger, J., Fohrmann, R. & Pfriem, R. (eds.). München: oekom verlag GmbH, p. 313-332 20 p. (Klimawandel in Regionen zukunftsfähig gestalten; vol. 8).

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

  3. Published

    Untersuchungen zur sozialen Organisation einer Herde von Liebenthaler Pferden im Biosphärenreservat Flusslandschaft Elbe-Brandenburg

    Buck-Dobrick, T., Herms, V. & Aßmann, T., 2004, Weidelandschaften und Wildnisgebiete: Vom Experiment zur Praxis. Finck, P., Härdtle, W., Redecker, B. & Riecken, U. (eds.). Münster: BfN-Schriftenvertrieb im Landwirtschaftsverlag, p. 273-280 8 p. (Schriftenreihe für Landschaftspflege und Naturschutz; no. 78).

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

  4. Published

    Untersuchungen zur Struktur und Dynamik der Serrahner Buchenwälder

    Oheimb, G., Friedel, A., Westphal, C. & Härdtle, W., 2003, In: Natur und Naturschutz in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. 38, p. 52-64 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  5. Published
  6. Published

    Untersuchungs- und Monitoringkonzept zur Abschätzung der Auswirkungen von Offshore-Windparks auf die marine Umwelt

    Ehrich, S., Hoffmann, J., Kafemann, R., Piper, W., Runge, K., Thomsen, F. & Zauke, G.-P., 2001, Hamburg: Bundesforschungsanstalt für Fischerei. 28 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  7. Published

    Unter Trickstern und Kojoten: was "Geschlecht" in Umweltforschung und -planung leistet

    Hofmeister, S., 2007, In: Forum Wissenschaft. 24, 4, p. 19-22 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  8. Published

    (Un)typisch Gender Studies: neue interdisziplinäre Forschungsfragen

    Halberstadt, J. (Editor), Hilmers, L. (Editor), Kubes, T. (Editor) & Weingraber, S. (Editor), 2016, Opladen: Budrich UniPress . 306 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  9. Published

    Unveiling the Bounty: A Systematic Synthesis of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Mediterranean Lentil and Chickpea Cultivation Through Alternative Pulse Systems

    Vollheyde, A. L., Cebrián-Piqueras, M. & von Haaren, C., 09.2024, In: Legume Science. 6, 3, 20 p., e246.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  10. Published

    Upcoming research concerning auctions for conserving and promoting biodiversity

    Groth, M., 2008, Implementation of the CBD programme of work on protected areas; progress and perspectives: Abstracts of poster prensentations at the second Meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Protected Areas, 11 - 15 February 2008 in Rome, Italy. Montreal: Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, p. 22-24 3 p. (CBD Technical Series; vol. 35).

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