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

    Planung naturbasierter Lösungen in Flusslandschaften: Ein Handbuch für die Praxis

    Schröter, B., Brillinger, M., Gottwald, S., Guerrero, P., Henze, J., Ott, E., Schmidt, S. & Albert, C., 01.07.2021, 1 ed. München: oekom verlag GmbH. 117 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesBook

  2. Published

    Quantum Chemical Calculation and Evaluation of Partition Coefficients for Classical and Emerging Environmentally Relevant Organic Compounds

    Salthammer, T., Grimme, S., Stahn, M., Hohm, U. & Palm, W. U., 04.01.2022, In: Environmental Science and Technology. 56, 1, p. 379-391 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Competencies for Advancing Transformations Towards Sustainability

    Redman, A. & Wiek, A., 30.11.2021, In: Frontiers in Education. 6, 11 p., 785163.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  4. Published

    Mosaic landscapes provide conservation pockets for an endangered species: Colias myrmidone in Romania

    Loos, J., Schröer, C., Becker, T., Kastal, A., Kortmann, E. & Dolek, M., 05.2022, In: Insect Conservation and Diversity. 15, 3, p. 359-369 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    The importance of product lifetime labelling for purchase decisions: Strategic implications for corporate sustainability based on a conjoint analysis in Germany

    Jacobs, K. & Hörisch, J., 01.05.2022, In: Business Strategy and the Environment. 31, 4, p. 1275-1291 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Cradle to Cradle The new Recycling Quality

    Braungart, M., 12.2021, In: Wochenblatt für Papierfabrikation. 149, 12, p. 700-701 2 p.

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

  7. Published

    Demarcating transdisciplinary research in sustainability science—Five clusters of research modes based on evidence from 59 research projects

    Jahn, S., Newig, J., Lang, D. J., Kahle, J. & Bergmann, M., 01.04.2022, In: Sustainable Development. 30, 2, p. 343-357 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Teaching Sustainable Development in a Sensory and Artful Way — Concepts, Methods, and Examples

    Heinrichs, H., 01.12.2021, In: Sustainability. 13, 24, 15 p., 13619.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Species richness stabilizes productivity via asynchrony and drought-tolerance diversity in a large-scale tree biodiversity experiment

    Schnabel, F., Liu, X., Kunz, M., Barry, K., Bongers, F. J., Bruelheide, H., Fichtner, A., Härdtle, W., Li, S., Pfaff, C.-T., Schmid, B., Schwarz, J. A., Tang, Z., Yang, B., Bauhus, J., von Oheimb, G., Ma, K. & Wirth, C., 17.12.2021, In: Science Advances. 7, 51, 13 p., eabk1643.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Limited knowledge flow among stakeholders of critically endangered renosterveld in South Africa

    Burghardt, S., Topp, E. N., Esler, K. J. & Loos, J., 10.2021, In: Ecology and Society. 26, 3, 17 p., 17.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review