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

    Sustainability Management in Business Enterprises: Concepts and Instruments for Sustainable Organisation Development

    Schaltegger, S., Herzig, C., Kleiber, O. & Müller, J., 2002, 2. ed. ed., Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 123 p.

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  2. Published

    Institutions and preferences determine resilience of ecological-economic systems

    Quaas, M. F., Baumgärtner, S., Derissen, S. & Strunz, S., 2008, Lüneburg: Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Lüneburg, 19 p. (Working paper series in economics; no. 109).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  3. Published

    Sustainable use of ecosystem services under multiple risks: a survey of commercial cattle farmers in semi-arid rangelands in Namibia

    Olbrich, R., Quaas, M. F. & Baumgärtner, S., 2009, Lüneburg: Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Lüneburg, 52 p. (Working paper series in economics; no. 137).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  4. Published

    The economic insurance value of ecosystem resilience

    Baumgärtner, S. & Strunz, S., 2009, Lüneburg: Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Lüneburg, 33 p. (Working paper series in economics; no. 132).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  5. Published

    The relationship between resilience and sustainable development of ecological-economic systems

    Derissen, S., Quaas, M. & Baumgärtner, S., 2009, Lüneburg: Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Lüneburg, 14 p. (Working paper series in economics; no. 146).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  6. Published
  7. Published

    Zukunftscamp – Future Now 2007

    Stoltenberg, U., Bartsch, A. & Wüllner, C., 2007, Lüneburg: Institut für Integrative Studien der Universität Lüneburg, 35 p.

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsResearch

  8. Published

    Qu'est-ce que la "stakeholder value"? Du mot-clé à sa quantification

    Figge, F. & Schaltegger, S., 2000, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 57 p.

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  9. Published

    Leitfaden Sozialmanagement im Unternehmen: Ausgewählte Instrumente für die Praxis

    Winistörfer, H., Teuscher, P. & Dubielzig, F., 2006, Winterthur: Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften, 99 p. (INE-Reihe; no. 5).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  10. Published

    Managing increasing environmental risks through agro-biodiversity and agri-environmental policies

    Baumgärtner, S. & Quaas, M. F., 2008, Lüneburg: Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Lüneburg, 28 p. (Working paper series in economics; no. 80).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers