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

    Socioecological drivers facilitating biodiversity conservation in traditional farming landscapes

    Dorresteijn, I., Loos, J., Hanspach, J. & Fischer, J., 20.11.2015, In: Ecosystem Health and Sustainability. 1, 9, p. 1-9 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Taxonomic revision of the Graphipterus serrator (Forskål) group (Coleoptera, Carabidae): an increase from five to 15 valid species

    Renan, I., Assmann, T. & Freidberg, A., 26.04.2018, In: ZooKeys. 2018, 753, p. 23-82 60 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Editorial overview: Green and sustainable chemistry conference 2017

    Liu, Z. & Kümmerer, K., 01.02.2018, In: Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry. 9, Special Issue: 2, 2018, p. A1-A2 2 p.

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

  4. Published

    On the Question of Blockchain Activism

    Leistert, O., 01.03.2018, The Routledge Companion to Media and Activism.. Meikle, G. (ed.). London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 376-384 9 p.

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

  5. Published

    Temporal Dynamics of Ecosystem Services

    Rau, A. L., von Wehrden, H. & Abson, D. J., 01.09.2018, In: Ecological Economics. 151, p. 122-130 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    A new world for old landscapes: Land-use intensification and bird conservation in a traditional farming landscape

    Dorresteijn, I., Nimmo, D. G., Loos, J., Hanspach, J., Moga, C. I., David, A., Ernst, L. M. & Fischer, J., 01.12.2018, In: North-Western Journal of Zoology. 14, 2, p. 199-207 9 p., e171605.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    The romanian grassland database (RGD): Historical background, current status and future perspectives

    Vassilev, K., Ruprecht, E., Alexiu, V., Becker, T., Beldean, M., Bita-Nicolae, C., Csergo, A. M., Dzhovanova, I., Filipova, E., Frink, J. P., Gafta, D., Georgieva, M., Germany, M. S., Goia, I., Gumus, M., Hennekens, S. M., Janišová, M., Knollová, I., Koleva, V., Kostadinova, S., Kuzmanovic, N., Loos, J., Mardari, C., Michl, T., Neblea, M. A., Nicoara, R. I., Novák, P., Öllerer, K., Onete, M., Palpurina, S., Paulini, I., Pedashenko, H., Puşcaş, M., Roman, A., Šibík, J., Sîrbu, C., Stancu, D. I., Sutcliffe, L. M. E., Szabó, A., Tomescu, C. V., Totev, E., Tsvetanov, B., Turtureanu, P. D., Vassileva, P., Velev, N. & Dengler, J., 01.03.2018, In: Phytocoenologia. 48, 1, p. 91-100 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Beyond Biodiversity Conservation: Land Sharing Constitutes Sustainable Agriculture in European Cultural Landscapes

    Loos, J. & Wehrden, H., 02.05.2018, In: Sustainability. 10, 5, 11 p., 1395.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    The Science and Practice of Landscape Stewardship, Claudia Bieling, Tobias Plieninger. Cambridge University Press (2017)

    Loos, J., 07.2018, In: Biological Conservation. 223, p. 181-183 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsCritical reviewsResearch

  10. Published

    Sustainability Science with Ozzy Osbourne, Julia Roberts and Ai Weiwei: The Potential of Arts-Based Research for Sustainable Development

    Heinrichs, H., 01.01.2018, In: GAIA. 27, 1, p. 132-137 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch