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

    Bryophytes and organic layers control uptake of airborne nitrogen in low-N environments

    Bähring, A., Fichtner, A., Friedrich, U., Von Oheimb, G. & Härdtle, W., 04.12.2017, In: Frontiers in Plant Science. 8, 12 p., 2080.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    LC-HRMS Data Processing Strategy for Reliable Sample Comparison Exemplified by the Assessment of Water Treatment Processes

    Bader, T., Schulz, W., Kümmerer, K. & Winzenbacher, R., 19.12.2017, In: The Journal of Physical Chemistry C: Energy, Materials, and Catalysis. 89, 24, p. 13219-13226 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Bridging divides in sustainability science

    Lang, D. J., Wiek, A. & von Wehrden, H., 01.11.2017, In: Sustainability Science. 12, 6, p. 875 - 879 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  4. Published
  5. Published

    Organic farming promotes bee abundance in vineyards in Italy but not in South Africa

    Kehinde, T., von Wehrden, H., Samways, M., Klein, A. M. & Brittain, C., 01.02.2018, In: Journal of Insect Conservation. 22, 1, p. 61-67 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Utilization of organic residues using heterotrophic microalgae and insects

    Pleißner, D. & Rumpold, B. A., 01.02.2018, In: Waste Management. 72, p. 227-239 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  7. Published

    Widening the evaluative space for ecosystem services: A taxonomy of plural values and valuation methods

    Arias-Arévalo, P., Gómez-Baggethun, E., Martín-López, B. & Pérez-Rincón, M., 01.02.2018, In: Environmental Values. 27, 1, p. 29-53 25 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Nachhaltige Chemie - das künftige Leitbild

    Kümmerer, K., 12.2017, In: Angewandte Chemie. 129, 52, p. 16640-16641 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  9. Published

    Real-world Laboratories and Transformation Research: Call for Papers: GAIA Open Access Special Issue

    Schäpke, N., Stelzer, F., Bergmann, M., Lang, D. J., Wagner, F. & Miller, E., 15.01.2017, In: GAIA. 26, 1, p. 55-57 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  10. Published

    Urban BaWü-Labs: Challenges and Solutions when Expanding the Real-World Lab Infrastructure

    Schäpke, N., Stelzer, F., Marg, O., Bergmann, M., Miller, E., Wagner, F. & Lang, D. J., 15.12.2017, In: GAIA. 26, 4, p. 366-368 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch