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

    Empirische Forschung zur Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung - Themen, Methoden und Trends: Summer School "Empirische Forschung zur Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung - Themen, Methoden und Trends" vom 21.-29. Juli 2014 an der Universität Vechta

    Barth, M. (Editor) & Rieckmann, M. (Editor), 2016, Opladen: Verlag Babara Budrich. 238 p. (Ökologie und Erziehungswissenschaft)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  2. Published

    Does excess nitrogen supply increase the drought sensitivity of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) seedlings?

    Dziedek, C., von Oheimb, G., Calvo, L., Fichtner, A., Kriebitzsch, W.-U., Marcos, E., Härdtle, W. & Pitz, W., 01.04.2016, In: Plant Ecology. 217, 4, p. 393-405 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Fermentative lactic acid production from coffee pulp hydrolysate using Bacillus coagulans at laboratory and pilot scales

    Pleissner, D., Neu, A.-K., Mehlmann, K., Schneider, R., Puerta-Quintero, G. I. & Venus, J., 01.10.2016, In: Bioresource Technology. 218, p. 167-173 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Contrasting changes in the abundance and diversity of North American bird assemblages from 1971 to 2010

    Schipper, A. M., Belmaker, J., de Miranda, M. D., Navarro, L. M., Böhning-Gaese, K., Costello, M. J., Dornelas, M., Foppen, R., Hortal, J., Huijbregts, M. A. J., Martín-López, B., Pettorelli, N., Queiroz, C., Rossberg, A. G., Santini, L., Schiffers, K., Steinmann, Z. J. N., Visconti, P., Rondinini, C. & Pereira, H. M., 01.12.2016, In: Global Change Biology. 22, 12, p. 3948-3959 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Disentangling trade-offs and synergies around ecosystem services with the influence network framework: Illustration from a consultative process over the French Alps

    Crouzat, E., Martín-López, B., Turkelboom, F. & Lavorel, S., 01.01.2016, In: Ecology and Society. 21, 2, 18 p., 32.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    What can conservation strategies learn from the ecosystem services approach? Insights from ecosystem assessments in two Spanish protected areas

    García-Llorente, M., Harrison, P. A., Berry, P., Palomo, I., Gómez-Baggethun, E., Iniesta-Arandia, I., Montes, C., García Del Amo, D. & Martín-López, B., 01.06.2018, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 27, 7, p. 1575-1597 23 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    What influences environmental entrepreneurship? A multilevel analysis of the determinants of entrepreneurs’ environmental orientation

    Hörisch, J., Kollat, J. & Brieger, S. A., 01.01.2017, In: Small Business Economics. 48, 1, p. 47-69 23 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Nutzung von Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement-Software in kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen

    Johnson, M., 2016, Bewertung unternehmerischer Nachhaltigkeit: Modelle und Methoden zur Selbstbewertung. Grothe, A. (ed.). Berlin: Erich Schmidt Verlag, p. 139-155 17 p.

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

  9. Published

    Nachhaltigkeit managen mit der Balanced Scorecard

    Schaltegger, S., 2016, Bewertung unternehmerischer Nachhaltigkeit: Modelle und Methoden zur Selbstbewertung. Grothe, A. (ed.). Berlin: Erich Schmidt Verlag, p. 41-55 15 p.

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

  10. Published

    Fermentative utilization of coffee mucilage using Bacillus coagulans and investigation of down-stream processing of fermentation broth for optically pure L(+)-lactic acid production

    Neu, A.-K., Pleissner, D., Mehlmann, K., Schneider, R., Puerta-Quintero, G. I. & Venus, J., 01.07.2016, In: Bioresource Technology. 211, Juli, p. 398-405 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review