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

    Renewable Energy Law in the EU: Legal Perspectives on Bottom-Up Approaches

    Peeters, M. (Editor) & Schomerus, T. (Editor), 26.12.2014, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. 336 p. (New horizons in environmental and energy law)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesBook

  2. Published

    Legal aspects of local engagement: Land planning and citizens‘ financial participation in wind energy projects

    Maly, C., 26.12.2014, Renewable Energy Law in the EU: Legal Perspectives on Bottom Up Approaches. Peeters, M. & Schomerus, T. (eds.). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing, p. 210-231 22 p. (New horizons in environmental and energy law).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  3. Published

    Nachhaltigkeit in Stadtquartieren zwischen standardisierter Planung und kontextbezogenen Prozessen

    Heyder, M., Huber, A. & Koch, A., 2012, Nachhaltige Quartiersforschung: Positionen, Praxisbeispiele und Perspektiven. Drilling, M. & Schnur, O. (eds.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 197-212 16 p.

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

  4. Published

    Vers des modes de vie durables: Une variété de modes de vie pour une ambition unique : la société postcarbone.

    Huber, A., Girard, S. & le Marre, P., 2013, In: Futuribles. 392, p. 43-60 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Symbolische Politik oder echter Einfluss? Die europäische Beschäftigungsstrategie in Deutschland und Frankreich

    Huber, A., 2008, Marburg: Tectum Verlag. 161 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    A holistic approach to studying social-ecological systems and its application to Southern Transylvania

    Hanspach, J., Hartel, T., Milcu, A. I., Mikulcak, F., Dorresteijn, I., Loos, J., von Wehrden, H., Kuemmerle, T., Abson, D., Kovács-Hostyánszki, A., Báldi, A. & Fischer, J., 18.11.2014, In: Ecology and Society. 19, 4, 27 p., 32.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Cortisol Effects on Flow-Experience

    Peifer, C., Schächinger, H., Engeser, S. & Antoni, C. H., 03.2015, In: Psychopharmacology. 232, 6, p. 1165-1173 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published
  9. Published

    Mobile Kommunikation - Umweltbewusst handeln: Materialien für Lehrkräfte Klassen 5 bis 8

    Fischer, D., Bookhagen, B., Niehoff, S. & Nordmann, J., 2014, Berlin: Informationszentrum Mobilfunk (IZMF). 12 p. (Mobilfunk im Unterricht)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCompendium/lecture notesEducation

  10. Published

    The resilience of agricultural landscapes characterized by land sparing versus land sharing

    Abson, D., Sherren, K. & Fischer, J., 05.2019, Agriculture Resilience: perspectives from ecology and economics. Gardner, S., Hails, R. S. & Ramsden, S. (eds.). Cambrige: Cambridge University Press, p. 232-252 21 p.

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