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

    Measuring and Managing Sustainability Performance of Supply Chains: Review and Sustainability Supply Chain Management Framework

    Schaltegger, S. & Burritt, R., 06.05.2014, In: Supply Chain Management. 19, 3, p. 232-241 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Sustainability-Oriented Innovation of SMEs: A Systematic Review

    Klewitz, J. & Hansen, E. G., 15.02.2014, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 65, p. 57-75 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Energie

    Lüdeke-Freund, F. & Opel, O., 2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin/Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 429-453 25 p. (Springer-Lehrbuch).

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

  4. Published

    Observational natural history and morphological taxonomy are indispensable for future challenges in biodiversity and conservation

    Staab, M., Ohl, M., Zhu, C. D. & Klein, A. M., 2015, In: Communicative and Integrative Biology. 8, 1, 3 p., e992745.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Lebensweltgestaltung junger Frauen mit türkischem Migrationshintergrund in der dritten Generation : "Mama, erzähl mir neue Sachen, deine sind schon veraltet"

    Bülbül-Emanet, S., 18.12.2014, Wiesbaden: Springer VS. 199 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesBook

  6. Published

    Emotionale Kompetenz bei Kindern und Jugendlichen: Entwicklung und Folgen

    Klinkhammer, J., Voltmer, K. & von Salisch, M., 24.05.2022, 2., erweiterte und überarbeitete Auflage ed. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer Verlag GmbH. 196 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Worldwide Trends in Green Chemistry Education

    Zuin, V. (Editor) & Mammino, L. (Editor), 2015, 1st ed. ed. Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry. 347 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesBook

  8. Published

    Long-term perspectives in the electricity and heat sector coupling

    Gerhardt, N., Sandau, F., Schumacher, P., Antoni, O. & Merkel, K., 2015, In: BWK- Energie-Fachmagazin. 67, 11, p. 12 – 16 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  9. Published

    A continental-scale analysis of feral cat diet in Australia

    Doherty, T. S., Davis, R. A., van Etten, E. J. B., Algar, D., Collier, N., Dickman, C. R., Edwards, G., Masters, P., Palmer, R. & Robinson, S., 01.05.2015, In: Journal of Biogeography. 42, 5, p. 964-975 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Response of a shrubland mammal and reptile community to a history of landscape-scale wildfire

    Doherty, T. S., Davis, R. A., Van Etten, E. J. B., Collier, N. & Krawiec, J., 02.2015, In: International Journal of Wildland Fire. 24, 4, p. 534-543 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review