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

    Beiräte als Instrument einer Ernährungswende – Die Etablierung von Ernährungsräten in Deutschland

    Sieveking, A. & Schomerus, C.-T., 01.10.2020, In: Natur und Recht. 42, 10, p. 680-686 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  2. Published

    Development and application of green and sustainable analytical methods for flavonoid extraction from Passiflora waste

    Da Silva Francischini, D., Lopes, A. P., Segatto, M. L., Stahl, A. M. & Zuin, V. G., 18.09.2020, In: BMC Chemistry. 14, 1, 11 p., 56.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Recurring patterns and blueprints of industrial symbioses as structural units for an it tool

    Rohde-Lütje, A. & Wohlgemuth, V., 08.10.2020, In: Sustainability. 12, 19, 21 p., 8280.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published
  5. Published

    Reconciling food security and biodiversity conservation: participatory scenario planning in southwestern Ethiopia

    Jiren, T. S., Hanspach, J., Schultner, J., Fischer, J., Bergsten, A., Senbeta, F., Hylander, K. & Dorresteijn, I., 09.2020, In: Ecology and Society. 25, 3, p. 1-16 16 p., 24.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    The influence of landscape change on multiple dimensions of human–nature connectedness

    Riechers, M., Balázsi, Á., Abson, D. J. & Fischer, J., 01.09.2020, In: Ecology and Society. 25, 3, p. 1-12 12 p., 3.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Malt and beer-related by-products as potential antioxidant skin-lightening agents for cosmetics

    Almendinger, M., Rohn, S. & Pleissner, D., 01.09.2020, In: Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy. 17, 9 p., 100282.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Design of a Master of Science Sustainable Chemistry

    Elschami, M. & Kümmerer, K., 01.09.2020, In: Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy. 17, 10 p., 100270.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Meeting the challenge of (co-)designing real-world laboratories: Insights from the Well-Being Transformation Wuppertal project

    Rose, M. & Maibaum, K., 15.10.2020, In: GAIA. 29, 3, p. 154-160 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    The Emerging Research Field of Experimentation for Circular Business Model Innovation

    Bocken, N. M. P., Weissbrod, I. & Antikainen, M., 02.07.2020, 5th International Online Conference on New Business Models: Sustainable. Circular. Inclusive. 1-2 July 2020. Conference Proceedings: Book of Abstracts. Jonker, J. & Faber, N. (eds.). Nijmegen: Radboud University Nijmegen, p. 106-110 5 p.

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