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

    Can management compensate for atmospheric nutrient deposition in heathland ecosystems?

    Härdtle, W., Niemeyer, M., Niemeyer, T., Aßmann, T. & Fottner, S., 01.08.2006, In: The Journal of Applied Ecology. 43, 4, p. 759-769 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Canopy structure influences arthropod communities within and beyond tree identity effects: Insights from combining LiDAR data, insecticidal fogging and machine learning regression modelling

    Wildermuth, B., Penanhoat, A., Sennhenn-Reulen, H., Matevski, D., Drescher, J., Aubry-Kientz, M., Seidel, D. & Schuldt, A., 01.03.2024, In: Ecological Indicators. 160, 12 p., 111901.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Can prescribed burning compensate for atmospheric nutrient loads in wet heathlands?

    Haerdtle, W., Niemeyer, T., Assmann, T., Meyer, H. & von Oheimb, G., 20.06.2007, In: Phytocoenologia. 37, 2, p. 161-174 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Can Pulsed Electric Fields Treated Algal Cells Be Used as Stationary Phase in Chromatography?

    Pleissner, D. & Smetana, S., 29.04.2022, In: Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 6, 7 p., 860647.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  5. Published

    Can rare arable plants benefit biological pest control potential of cereal aphids in croplands?

    Twerski, A., Albrecht, H., Gallé, R., Sauter, F., Császár, P. & Fischer, C., 01.02.2023, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 66, p. 40-49 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Can we have it all? The role of grassland conservation in supporting forage production and plant diversity

    Kachler, J., Benra, F., Bolliger, R., Isaac, R., Bonn, A. & Felipe-Lucia, M. R., 12.2023, In: Landscape Ecology. 38, 12, p. 4451-4465 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. E-pub ahead of print

    Can we represent future generations in myopic democracies? Analyzing the design, feasibility and viability of institutional guardians of future generations

    Rose, M., 26.12.2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Policy Studies. 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Capability of social life cycle assessment for analyzing the artisanal small-scale gold mining sector—case study in the Amazonian rainforest in Brazil

    Springer, S. K., Peregovich, B. G. & Schmidt, M., 11.2020, In: International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 25, 11, p. 2274-2289 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Capacity building for transformational leadership and transdisciplinarity

    Barth, M., Bruhn, A., Lam, D., Bergmann, M. & Lang, D. J., 15.10.2020, In: GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Societa. 29, 3, p. 195-197 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Capacity building on sustainable flood risk and water management - transnational and transdisiclipnary activities in the Northsea region

    Evers, M., Nyberg, L., Geißler, T. R. & Arthur, S., 2009, Road Map towards a flood resilient urban environment: Proceedings Final conference of the COST action C22 Urban Flood Management in cooperation with UNESCO-IHP Paris 26/27.11.2009. Pasche, E., Evelpidou, N., Zevenbergen, C., Ashley, R. & Garvin, S. (eds.). Institut für Wasserbau der Technischen Universität Hamburg, 10 p. (Hamburger Wasserbau-Schriften; vol. 6).

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