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

    Indigenous and local knowledge in environmental management for human-nature connectedness: a leverage points perspective

    Burgos-Ayala, A., Jiménez-Aceituno, A., Torres-Torres, A. M., Rozas-Vásquez, D. & Lam, D. P. M., 01.12.2020, In: Ecosystems and People. 16, 1, p. 290-303 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Sensory Perception of Non-Deuterated and Deuterated Organic Compounds

    Salthammer, T., Monegel, F., Schulz, N., Uhde, E., Grimme, S., Seibert, J., Hohm, U. & Palm, W. U., 13.01.2021, In: Chemistry - A European Journal. 27, 3, p. 1046-1056 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Woody plant species diversity as a predictor of ecosystem services in a social–ecological system of southwestern Ethiopia

    Shumi, G., Rodrigues, P., Hanspach, J., Härdtle, W., Hylander, K., Senbeta, F., Fischer, J. & Schultner, J., 01.02.2021, In: Landscape Ecology. 36, 2, p. 373-391 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    A leverage points perspective on social networks to understand sustainability transformations: evidence from Southern Transylvania

    Lam, D. P. M., Martín-López, B., Horcea-Milcu, A. I. & Lang, D. J., 05.2021, In: Sustainability Science. 16, 3, p. 809-826 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    ATEM 3-9 Adaptiver Test des Emotionswissens: Manual

    Voltmer, K. & Salisch, M., 2021, Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer. 68 p. (SpringerTests)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Handelsbeschränkungen und Patentschutz für Impfstoffe: Europa- und völkerrechtliche Aspekte

    Bäumler, J. & Terhechte, J. P., 19.11.2020, In: Neue Juristische Wochenschrift. 73, 48, p. 3481-3487 7 p., 48.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  7. Published

    Business experimentation for sustainability: Emerging perspectives

    Bocken, N. M. P., Weissbrod, I. & Antikainen, M., 25.01.2021, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 281, 6 p., 124904.

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

  8. Published

    Unsustainability as a key source of epi- and pandemics: conclusions for sustainability and ecosystems accounting

    Schaltegger, S., 15.12.2020, In: Journal of Accounting and Organizational Change. 16, 4, p. 613-619 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Biokunststoffe = umweltfreundlich? Ein Kooperationsprojekt von Schule und Universität zum werkstofflichen Recycling von Biokunststoffen

    Abels, S., Girod, L., Hallerbach, R., Pleissner, D., Reichelt, A. & Struck, C., 01.10.2020, In: PLUS LUCIS. 3, p. 26-30 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  10. Published

    Radverkehrsförderung 3.0: Barrierefrei, netztransparent, digital - Teil 2; Radverkehr, Verkehrsmittelwahl, Stadtverkehr, Verkehrsplanung

    Pez, P. & Seidel, A., 2020, In: Internationales Verkehrswesen. 72, 4, p. 16-20 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review