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

    Brown bear activity in traditional wood-pastures in Southern Transylvania, Romania

    Röllig, M., Dorresteijn, I., von Wehrden, H., Hartel, T. & Fischer, J., 01.05.2014, In: Ursus. 25, 1, p. 44-52 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Emerging risks from ballast water treatment: The run-up to the International Ballast Water Management Convention

    Werschkun, B., Banerji, S., Basurko, O. C., David, M., Fuhr, F., Gollasch, S., Grummt, T., Haarich, M., Jha, A. N., Kacan, S., Kehrer, A., Linders, J., Mesbahi, E., Pughiuc, D., Richardson, S. D., Schwarz-Schulz, B., Shah, A., Theobald, N., von Gunten, U., Wieck, S. & Höfer, T., 01.10.2014, In: Chemosphere. 112, p. 256-266 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Investitionen in Biokraftstoffprojekte: Herausforderungen des "Generationenwechsels"

    Kügemann, M., Hampl, N. & Lüdeke-Freund, F., 2014, Biokraftstoffe und Biokraftstoffprojekte: Rechtliche, technische und wirtschaftliche Aspekte. Böttcher, J., Hampl, N., Kügemann, M. & Lüdeke-Freund, F. (eds.). Berlin & Heidelberg: Gabler Verlag, p. 109-137 29 p.

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

  4. Published

    Biokraftstoffe und Biokraftstoffprojekte: Rechtliche, technische und wirtschaftliche Aspekte

    Böttcher, J. (Editor), Hampl, N. (Editor), Kügemann, M. (Editor) & Lüdeke-Freund, F. (Editor), 2014, Berlin & Heidelberg: Gabler Verlag. 417 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  5. Published

    Recalcitrant pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment: A comparative screening study of their occurrence, formation of phototransformation products and their in vitro toxicity

    Bergheim, M., Gminski, R., Spangenberg, B., Dȩbiak, M., Bürkle, A., Mersch-Sundermann, V., Kümmerer, K. & Gieré, R., 2014, In: Environmental Chemistry. 11, 4, p. 431-444 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Ecotoxicological and Genotoxic Assessment of Hospital Laundry Wastewaters

    Kern, D. I., de Oliveira Schwaickhardt, R., Lutterbeck, C. A., Kist, L. T., Alcayaga, E. A. L. & Machado, Ê. L., 01.01.2015, In: Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. 68, 1, p. 64-73 10 p., 72.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published
  8. Published

    Action, research and participation: roles of researchers in sustainability transitions

    Wittmayer, J. M. & Schäpke, N., 24.10.2014, In: Sustainability Science. 9, 4, p. 483-496 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Spillover of trap-nesting bees and wasps in an urban-rural interface

    Pereira-Peixoto, M. H., Pufal, G., Martins, C. F. & Klein, A. M., 31.10.2014, In: Journal of Insect Conservation. 18, 5, p. 815-826 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Developing robust field survey protocols in landscape ecology: a case study on birds, plants and butterflies

    Loos, J., Hanspach, J., von Wehrden, H., Beldean, M., Moga, C. I. & Fischer, J., 01.2015, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 24, 1, p. 33-46 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review