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

    Bioremediation of Chlorinated Pesticides in Field-Contaminated Soils and Suitability of Tenax Solid-Phase Extraction as a Predictor of Its Effectiveness

    Baczynski, T. P., Pleissner, D. & Krylow, M., 08.2012, In: Clean - Soil, Air, Water. 40, 8, p. 864-869 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Biosphere Reserves as catalysts for sustainability transformations: five strategies to support place-based innovation

    Dabard, C. H., Mann, C. & Martín-López, B., 01.04.2025, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. 73, 6 p., 101508.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Biosphere reserves' management effectiveness-A systematic literature review and a research agenda

    Ferreira, A. F., Zimmermann, H., Santos, R. & von Wehrden, H., 01.07.2020, In: Sustainability. 12, 12, 31 p., 5497.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  4. Published

    Biotechnological production of organic acids from renewable resources

    Pleissner, D., Dietz, D., Duuren, J., Wittmann, C., Yang, X., Lin, C. S. K. & Venus, J., 01.01.2019, Biorefineries. Wagemann, K. & Tippkötter, N. (eds.). CHAM: Springer, Vol. 166. p. 373-410 38 p. (Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology; vol. 166).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  5. Published

    Biotic and abiotic degradation of S-metolachlor and its commercial product Mercantor Gold® in aqueous media

    Gutowski, L., Olsson, O. & Kümmerer, K., 2013, Abstract Book: Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry North America 34 th Annual Meeting, Harmonizing Science Across Disciplines Nashville, Tennessee 17–21 November 2013. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, p. 167 1 p. (SETAC annual meeting; no. 34).

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

  6. Published

    Biotische Eisenoxidation - Einfluss von Phosphat auf das Wachstum von Gallionella ferruginea

    Eggerichs, T., Bauer, J., Opel, O. & Ruck, W., 2011, Wasser 2011: Jahrestagung der Wasserchemischen Gesellschaft ; Kurzreferate. GDCh, Wasserchemische Gesellschaft, p. 187-191 5 p.

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

  7. Published

    Biotopverbund im Naturschutzrecht

    Krüsemann, E., 2005, Berlin: Berliner Wissenschafts-Verlag. 294 p. (Umweltrecht und Umweltpolitik; vol. 15)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  8. Published

    Bio-Vielfalt im Portofolio

    Figge, F., 2002, In: Umwelt. 10, p. 7 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  9. Published

    Bird communities in traditional wood-pastures with changing management in Eastern Europe

    Hartel, T., Hanspach, J., Abson, D. J., Máthé, O., Moga, C. I. & Fischer, J., 08.2014, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 15, 5, p. 385–395 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Bird community responses to the edge between suburbs and reserves

    Ikin, K., Barton, P. S., Knight, E., Lindenmayer, D. B., Fischer, J. & Manning, A. D., 02.2014, In: Oecologia. 174, 2, p. 545-557 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review