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

    Learning Processes in the Early Development of Sustainable Niches: The Case of Sustainable Fashion Entrepreneurs in Mexico

    Rodriguez Aboytes, J. G. & Barth, M., 13.10.2020, In: Sustainability. 12, 20, 26 p., 8434.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Emotions and social development in childhood

    Salisch, M., Voltmer, K., Miller-Slough , R., Chin, J.-C. & Denham, S. A., 05.04.2022, The Wiley‐Blackwell Handbook of Childhood Social Development. Smith, P. & Hart, C. (eds.). 3. ed. Cambridge: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd., p. 631-650 20 p. (The Wiley‐Blackwell Handbook of Childhood Social Development).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  3. Published

    Fühlen Denken Sprechen: Alltagsintegrierte Sprachbildung in Kindertageseinrichtungen

    Salisch, M. (Editor), Hormann, O. (Editor), Cloos, P. (Editor), Koch, K. (Editor) & Mähler, C. (Editor), 2021, Münster: Waxmann Verlag. 195 p. (Sprachliche Bildung; vol. 7)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  4. Published

    Sagt das Emotionswissen von jungen Kindern ihre phonologische Bewusstheit im Entwicklungsverlauf voraus?

    Salisch, M. & Voltmer, K., 15.10.2020, In: Kindheit und Entwicklung. 29, 4, p. 221-228 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published
  6. Published

    From niche to mainstream: the dilemmas of scaling up sustainable alternatives

    Augenstein, K., Bachmann, B., Egermann, M., Hermelingmeier, V., Hilger, A., Jäger-Erben, M., Kessler, A., Lam, D., Palzkill, A., Suski, P. & von Wirth, T., 15.10.2020, In: GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Societa. 29, 3, p. 143-147 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  7. Published

    Produktverantwortung von Drittlandherstellern im Onlinehandel

    Schomerus, T. & Hermann, A., 09.10.2020, In: Müll und Abfall - Fachzeitschrift für Abfall- und Ressourcenwirtschaft. 10/2020, 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  8. Published

    Bright Spots for Local WFD Implementation Through Collaboration with Nature Conservation Authorities?

    Schröder, N., Newig, J. & Watson, N., 01.10.2020, In: Water Alternatives. 13, 3, p. 582-617 36 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Plant traits alone are poor predictors of ecosystem properties and long-term ecosystem functioning

    van der Plas, F., Schröder-Georgi, T., Weigelt, A., Barry, K., Meyer, S., Alzate, A., Barnard, R. L., Buchmann, N., de Kroon, H., Ebeling, A., Eisenhauer, N., Engels, C., Fischer, M., Gleixner, G., Hildebrandt, A., Koller-France, E., Leimer, S., Milcu, A., Mommer, L., Niklaus, P. A., Oelmann, Y., Roscher, C., Scherber, C., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Scheu, S., Schmid, B., Schulze, E. D., Temperton, V., Tscharntke, T., Voigt, W., Weisser, W., Wilcke, W. & Wirth, C., 12.2020, In: Nature Ecology & Evolution. 4, 12, p. 1602-1611 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Probing alignment of personal and organisational values for sustainability: An assessment of barrett's organisational consciousness model

    Klapper, R., Berg, L. & Upham, P., 14.09.2020, In: Sustainability. 12, 18, 20 p., 7584.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review