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

    Understanding the diversity of values of “Nature’s contributions to people”: insights from the IPBES Assessment of Europe and Central Asia

    Christie, M., Martín-López, B., Church, A., Siwicka, E., Szymonczyk, P. & Mena Sauterel, J., 02.09.2019, In: Sustainability Science. 14, 5, p. 1267–1282 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  2. Published

    Impacts of Multiple Environmental Change Drivers on Growth of European Beech (Fagus sylvatica): Forest History Matters

    Mausolf, K., Härdtle, W., Hertel, D., Leuschner, C. & Fichtner, A., 01.04.2020, In: Ecosystems. 23, 3, p. 529-540 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Toward “hardened” accountability? Analyzing the European Union's hybrid transnational governance in timber and biofuel supply chains

    Moser, C. & Leipold, S., 01.2021, In: Regulation & Governance. 15, 1, p. 115-132 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    StadtLandschaft

    Hofmeister, S. & Mölders, T., 2019, Handbuch Landschaft. Kühne, O., Weber, F., Berr, K. & Jenal, C. (eds.). 1 ed. Wiesbaden: Springer VS, p. 731-741 11 p. (RaumFragen: Stadt - Region - Landschaft).

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

  5. Published

    Sustainable business models and sustainable supply chain management: Establishing linkages

    Norris, S., Zufall, J., Schaltegger, S. & Weissbrod, I., 01.07.2019, Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on New Business Models: New Business Models for Sustainable Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Transformation. Lüdeke-Freund, F. & Froese, T. (eds.). Berlin: ESCP Europe, p. 872-873 2 p.

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

  6. Published

    Recent trends in green and sustainable chemistry: rethinking textile waste in a circular economy

    To, M. H., Uisan, K., Ok, Y. S., Pleißner, D. & Lin, C., 12.2019, In: Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry. 20, p. 1-10 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  7. Published

    Natur und Landschaft

    Mölders, T. & Hofmeister, S., 2019, Handbuch Landschaft: RaumFragen: Stadt – Region – Landschaft. Kühne, O., Weber, F., Beer, K. & Jenal, C. (eds.). 1 ed. Wiesbaden: Springer, p. 469-478 10 p. (RaumFragen: Stadt - Region - Landschaft).

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

  8. Published

    Utilization of phenolic compounds by microalgae

    Lindner, A. V. & Pleißner, D., 01.09.2019, In: Algal Research. 42, 9 p., 101602.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  9. Published

    Step back from the forest and step up to the Bonn Challenge: How a broad ecological perspective can promote successful landscape restoration

    Temperton, V. M., Buchmann, N., Buisson, E., Durigan, G., Kazmierczak, L., Perring, M. P., de Sá Dechoum, M., Veldman, J. W. & Overbeck, G. E., 01.07.2019, In: Restoration Ecology. 27, 4, p. 705-719 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Becoming a competent teacher in education for sustainable development: Learning outcomes and processes in teacher education

    Brandt, J. O., Bürgener, L., Barth, M. & Redman, A., 19.07.2019, In: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. 20, 4, p. 630-653 24 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review