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

    Including software aspects in green IT: How to create awareness for green software issues

    Kern, E., Guldner, A. & Naumann, S., 2019, Green IT Engineering. Kharchenko, V., Kondratenko, Y. & Kacprzyk, J. (eds.). Cham: Springer International Publishing AG, p. 3-20 18 p. (Studies in Systems, Decision and Control; vol. 171).

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

  2. Published

    Navigating cognition biases in the search of sustainability

    Engler, J. O., Abson, D. J. & von Wehrden, H., 15.06.2019, In: Ambio. 48, 6, p. 605-618 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Experimentation for Sustainable Innovation

    Weissbrod, I., 2019, Innovation for Sustainability: Business transformations towards a better world. Bocken, N., Ritala, P., Albareda, L. & Verburg, R. (eds.). 1 ed. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, p. 335-352 18 p. (Palgrave Studies in Sustainable Business in Association with Future Earth).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  4. Published

    Das Reflexivitätsproblem und die Kategorienlehre: Versuch einer Aktualisierung

    Schmieg, G., 01.04.2019, Nicolai Hartmanns Neue Ontologie und die Philosophische Anthropologie: Menschliches Leben in Natur und Geist. von Kalckreuth, M., Schmieg, G. & Hausen, F. (eds.). Walter de Gruyter GmbH, p. 63-88 26 p. (Philosophische Anthropologie; vol. 11).

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

  5. Published

    Science Teacher Professional Development for Inclusive Practice

    Abels, S., 2019, In: International Journal of Physics and Chemistry Education . 11, 1, p. 19-29 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Preparing Pre-service Teachers for Inclusive Education: Analyzing the Status Quo and Comparing the Effect of Different Types of Subject-Specific Learning Opportunities

    Troll, B., Besser, M., Abels, S., Ahlers, M., Greve, S., Leiß, D. & Süßenbach, J., 01.01.2019, Inclusive Mathematics Education: State-of-the-Art Research from Brazil and Germany. Kollosche, D., Marcone, R., Knigge, M., Penteado, M. G. & Skovsmose, O. (eds.). Cham: Springer International Publishing AG, p. 537-559 23 p.

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

  7. Published

    „Beziehungsweise“ werden oder das sozialisatorische Potential von Freundschaften unter Jugendlichen

    Salisch, M., 2019, Zukunft der Freundschaft: Freundschaft zwischen Idealisierung und Auflösung. Stiehler, S. (ed.). Berlin: Frank & Timme, p. 105-122 17 p. (Transposition – Ostschweizer Beiträge zu Lehre, Forschung und Entwicklung in der Sozialen Arbeit; vol. 7).

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

  8. Published

    Determinants of farm size and stocking rate in Namibian commercial cattle farming

    Engler, J.-O., Wehrden, H. & Baumgärtner, S., 01.02.2019, In: Land Use Policy. 81, p. 232-246 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Biotechnological production of organic acids from renewable resources

    Pleissner, D., Dietz, D., Duuren, J., Wittmann, C., Yang, X., Lin, C. S. K. & Venus, J., 01.01.2019, Biorefineries. Wagemann, K. & Tippkötter, N. (eds.). CHAM: Springer, Vol. 166. p. 373-410 38 p. (Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology; vol. 166).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  10. Published

    Studentische Perspektiven auf die digitale Transformation der Hochschulen: Strukturen, Vernetzung und Partizipation

    Böckel, A., 08.06.2020, Zukunft Lernwelt Hochschule: Perspektiven und Optionen für eine Neuausrichtung. Stang, R. & Becker, A. (eds.). Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter Saur, p. 140-146 7 p. (Lernwelten ).

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