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

    Early positive effects of tree species richness on herbivory in a large-scale forest biodiversity experiment influence tree growth

    Schuldt, A., Bruelheide, H., Härdtle, W., Aßmann, T., Li, Y., Ma, K., Oheimb, G. & Zhang, J., 01.05.2015, In: Journal of Ecology. 103, 3, p. 563-571 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Das Handlungsfeld "Ernährung" als Katalysator einer nachhaltigen Hochschulbildung und -entwicklung

    Richter, S., Fischer, D. & Rieckmann, M., 2015, Nachhaltige Ernährung lernen in verschiedenen Ernährungssituationen: Handlungsmöglichkeiten in pädagogischen und sozialpädagogischen Einrichtungen. Schockemöhle, J. & Stein, M. (eds.). Bad Heilbrunn: Verlag Julius Klinkhardt, p. 160–175 16 p.

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

  3. Published

    Globale und nationale First-Mover-Vorteile internetbasierter Geschäftsmodelle

    Halberstadt, J., 2014, 1 ed. Wiesbaden: Gabler Verlag. 326 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Social Entrepreneurship: The foundation of tomorrow’s commercial business models?

    Halberstadt, J. & Kraus, S., 2016, In: International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing. 8, 3, p. 261-279 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    A comparison of students' (mis)understanding of female entrepreneurship: A German South African exploratory study

    Halberstadt, J., Scholtz, B. & Haak, L., 2014, 8th International Business Conference 2014: Proceedings. Bisschoff, C. (ed.). North-West University , p. 42-51 10 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Unternehmerpersönlichkeit

    Halberstadt, J., 2014, In: Berufsbildung : Zeitschrift für Praxis und Theorie in Betrieb und Schule. 147, p. 33 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Socio-ecological Research: The Cases of Rural Development an Agro-Biotechnology: Conference Report

    Gottschlich, D., Mölders, T. & Laschewski, L., 2012, In: Eastern European Countryside (EEC). 18, p. 177-182 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  8. Published

    (Un)sichtbare Botschaften: Bilder im Diskurs um Agro-Gentechnik

    Friedrich, B., Gottschlich, D. & Sulmowski, J. A., 2014, In: Gen-ethische Informationsdienst: GID. 30, 227, p. 27-29 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  9. Published

    Rapid Identification of Bacteria in Clinical Microbiology Routiine Diagnostics using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

    Reich, M., Stark, M., Huesgen, G., Beyser, K. & Borgmann, S., 01.09.2009, In: International Journal of Medical Microbiology. 299, Supplement 1, p. 3 1 p., DVP 11.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference abstract in journalResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Viele Steinchen, aber kein Mosaik: Nachhaltigkeit an den Hochschulen

    Michelsen, G., 2015, In: Politische Ökologie. 140, p. 37-42 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review