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

    Thinking the Problematic: Genealogies and Explorations between Philosophy and the Sciences

    Leistert, O. (Editor) & Schrickel, I. (Editor), 26.10.2020, Bielefeld: transcript Verlag. 197 p. (Philosophy)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  2. Published

    Key competencies in sustainability in higher education - toward an agreed-upon reference framework

    Brundiers, K., Barth, M., Cebrián, G., Cohen, M., Diaz, L., Doucette-Remington, S., Harré, N., Jarchow, M., Losch, K., Michel, J., Zint, M., Mochizuki, Y., Rieckmann, M., Parnell, R. & Walker, P., 01.2021, In: Sustainability Science. 16, 1, p. 13-29 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Contributions of place-based social-ecological research to address global sustainability challenges

    Martín-López, B., Balvanera, P., Manson, R., Mwampamba, T. H. & Norström, A., 01.01.2020, In: Global Sustainability. 3, 4 p., e21.

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

  4. Published

    Towards a more sustainable metal use – Lessons learned from national strategy documents

    Weiser, A., Bickel, M., Kümmerer, K. & Lang, D. J., 01.10.2020, In: Resources Policy. 68, 12 p., 101770.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Schulbasierte Achtsamkeitsprogramme mit Kindern und Jugendlichen

    Engel, N., Schiemann, S. & von Salisch, M., 07.2020, In: Praxis der Kinderpsychologie und Kinderpsychiatrie. 69, 4, p. 289-304 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Neighbourhood‐mediated shifts in tree biomass allocation drive overyielding in tropical species mixtures

    Guillemot, J., Kunz, M., Schnabel, F., Fichtner, A., Madsen, C. P., Gebauer, T., Härdtle, W., von Oheimb, G. & Potvin, C., 01.11.2020, In: New Phytologist. 228, 4, p. 1256-1268 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Fehler beim schätzen: (Un)realistische Ergebnisse anhand von Größenvorstellungen ­erkennen

    Stinken-Rösner, L., 07.2020, In: Unterricht Physik. 31, 177/178, p. 64-67 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  8. Published

    Barley shoot biomass responds strongly to N:P stoichiometry and intraspecific competition, whereas roots only alter their foraging

    Kumar, A., van Duijnen, R., Delory, B., Reichel, R., Brüggemann, N. & Temperton, V. M., 01.08.2020, In: Plant and Soil. 453, 1-2, p. 515-528 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Accounting for work conditions from modern slavery to decent work

    Christ, K. L., Burritt, R. & Schaltegger, S., 20.10.2020, In: Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal. 33, 7, p. 1481-1504 24 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Putting adaptive planning into practice: A meta-analysis of current applications

    Malekpour, S. & Newig, J., 11.2020, In: Cities. 106, 12 p., 102866.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review