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

    Research pathways to foster transformation: linking sustainability science and social-ecological systems research

    Horcea-Milcu, A.-I., Martín-López, B., Lam, D. & Lang, D. J., 03.2020, In: Ecology and Society. 25, 1, 29 p., 13.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Neighbourhood diversity mitigates drought impacts on tree growth

    Fichtner, A., Schnabel, F., Bruelheide, H., Kunz, M., Mausolf, K., Schuldt, A., Härdtle, W. & von Oheimb, G., 01.05.2020, In: Journal of Ecology. 108, 3, p. 865-875 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Non-identity – So what? A political scientist’s perspective on a curious but somehow arbitrary problem

    Rose, M., 2019, In: Intergenerational Justice Review. 5, 2, p. 54-55 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  4. Published

    Editorial

    Rose, M. & Hoffmann, J. M., 2019, In: Intergenerational Justice Review. 5, 2, p. 47 1 p.

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

  5. Published

    Light availability and land-use history drive biodiversity and functional changes in forest herb layer communities

    Depauw, L., Perring, M. P., Landuyt, D., Maes, S. L., Blondeel, H., De Lombaerde, E., Brūmelis, G., Brunet, J., Closset-Kopp, D., Czerepko, J., Decocq, G., den Ouden, J., Gawryś, R., Härdtle, W., Hédl, R., Heinken, T., Heinrichs, S., Jaroszewicz, B., Kopecký, M., Liepiņa, I., Macek, M., Máliš, F., Schmidt, W., Smart, S. M., Ujházy, K., Wulf, M. & Verheyen, K., 01.07.2020, In: Journal of Ecology. 108, 4, p. 1411-1425 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Designing a Transformative Epistemology of the Problematic: A Perspective for Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research

    Meyer, E. & Peukert, D., 03.07.2020, In: Social Epistemology. 34, 4, p. 346-356 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Constellations of Transdisciplinary Practices: A Map and Research Agenda for the Responsible Management Learning Field

    Laasch, O., Moosmayer, D., Antonacopoulou, E. & Schaltegger, S., 01.04.2020, In: Journal of Business Ethics. 162, 4, p. 735-757 23 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Social and Epistemic Control in Collaborative Research — Reconfiguring the Interplay of Politics and Methodology

    Herberg, J. & Vilsmaier, U., 03.07.2020, In: Social Epistemology. 34, 4, p. 309-318 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Targeted metabolomics of pellicle and saliva in children with different caries activity

    Schulz, A., Lang, R., Behr, J., Hertel, S., Reich, M., Kümmerer, K., Hannig, M., Hannig, C. & Hofmann, T., 01.12.2020, In: Scientific Reports. 10, 1, 11 p., 697.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Safeguarding the rare woodland species Gagea spathacea: Understanding habitat requirements is not sufficient

    Fichtner, A., Härdtle, W., Matthies, D., Arnold, V., Erfmeier, A., Hemke, T., Jansen, D., Lütt, S., Schmidt, M., Sturm, K., von Oheimb, G. & Ohse, B., 01.04.2020, In: Plant Species Biology. 35, 2, p. 120-129 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review