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

    Actor analysis as a tool for exploring the decision-making processes in environmental governance

    Zahradník, M., Dlouhá, J. & Burandt, S., 2015, Exploring regional sustainable development issues: Using the case study approach in higher education. Barton, A. & Dlouhá, J. (eds.). Surrey: Grosvenor House Publishing Ltd., p. 34-78 45 p.

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

  2. Published

    Actor Analysis in Case Studies for (regional) Sustainable Development

    Burandt, S., Gralla, F. & John, B., 19.02.2015, In: Envigogika. 10, 1, 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Der Fischotter (Lutra Lutra) in Schleswig-Holstein - Signatur einer rückwandernden, bedrohten Wirbeltierart und Konsequenzen für den Naturschutz

    Grünwald-Schwark, V., Zachos, F. E., Honnen, A.-C., Borkenhagen, P., Krüger, F., Wagner, J., Drews, A., Krekemeyer, A., Schmüser, H., Fichtner, A., Behl, S., Schmölcke, U., Kirschnick-Schmidt, H. & Sommer, R. S., 05.2012, In: Natur und Landschaft. 87, 5, p. 201-207 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Plant species diversity in dry coastal dunes of the southern Baltic coast

    Peyrat, J. & Fichtner, A., 01.12.2011, In: Community Ecology. 12, 2, p. 220-226 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Long-term population dynamics of Dactylorhiza incarnata (L.) Soo after abandonment and re-introduction of mowing

    Schrautzer, J., Fichtner, A., Huckauf, A., Rasran, L. & Jensen, K., 07.2011, In: Flora. 206, 7, p. 622-630 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    The effect of hunting regimes on tree regeneration in lowland beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forests

    Fichtner, A., Sturm, K., Wagner, J., Huckauf, A. & Ellenberg, H., 05.2011, In: Forstarchiv. 82, 3, p. 75-81 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    α- and β-diversity in moth communities in salt marshes is driven by grazing management

    Rickert, C., Fichtner, A., van Klink, R. & Bakker, J. P., 02.2012, In: Biological Conservation. 146, 1, p. 24-31 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement-Software: Software und webbasierte Ansätze zur Integration unternehmerischer Nachhaltigkeit in kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen

    Johnson, M. & Schaltegger, S., 2015, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 21 p.

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsTransfer

  9. Published

    High Trophic Similarity in the Sympatric North European Trawling Bat Species Myotis daubentonii and Myotis dasycneme

    Krüger, F., Harms, I., Fichtner, A., Wolz, I. & Sommer, R. S., 12.2012, In: Acta Chiropterologica. 14, 2, p. 347-356 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Characterizing and evaluating successional pathways of fen degradation and restoration

    Schrautzer, J., Sival, F., Breuer, M., Runhaar, H. & Fichtner, A., 02.2013, In: Ecological Indicators. 25, p. 108-120 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review