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

    Reply to: Plant traits alone are good predictors of ecosystem properties when used carefully

    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., 03.2023, In: Nature Ecology and Evolution. 7, 3, p. 335-336 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  2. Published

    Valorization of faba bean (Vicia faba) by-products

    Krenz, L. M. M., Grebenteuch, S., Zocher, K., Rohn, S. & Pleissner, D., 11.2024, In: Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery. 14, 21, p. 26663-26680 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Mathematikspiele in der Familie: Erfassung des Anregungsgehalts mathematischer Lernumwelten mit dem mathematischen Titelrekognitionstest für das Kindergartenalter (TRT-Mathe-K)

    Niklas, F., Ogrissek, L., Lehrl, S., Grolig, L. & Berner, V. D., 01.07.2023, In: Diagnostica. 69, 3, p. 133-143 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    I enjoy hurting my classmates: On the relation of boredom and sadism in schools

    Pfattheicher, S., Lazarević, L. B., Nielsen, Y. A., Westgate, E. C., Krstić, K. & Schindler, S., 01.02.2023, In: Journal of School Psychology. 96, p. 41-56 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Nachhaltige Raumentwicklung für die große Transformation: Perspektiven und Barrieren für die räumliche Planung

    Hofmeister, S. & Warner, B., 2022, In: Nachrichten der ARL. 52, 1, p. 8-11 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Zibell, Barbara: Care-Arbeit räumlich denken. Feministische Perspektiven auf Planung und Entwicklung

    Hofmeister, S., 2022, In: Raumplanung. 217, p. 98-99 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsCritical reviewsResearch

  7. Published

    The traditional ecological knowledge conundrum

    Hartel, T., Fischer, J., Shumi, G. & Apollinaire, W., 01.03.2023, In: Trends in Ecology & Evolution. 38, 3, p. 211-214 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  8. Published

    Weiterentwicklung des Studienprogramms Wirtschaftsrecht in Ulan Bator nach dem „Lüneburger Modell“

    Baasankhorol, D., Doljin, M. & Schomerus, T., 2022, Hochschulentwicklung in der dynamischen Übergangsgesellschaft: Hochschulpolitische Reformprojekte in der Mongolei und in China. Kowalewski, H. (ed.). Göttingen: Cuvillier Verlag, p. 159-175 16 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapter

  9. Published

    Förderung von Mehrwegverpackungssystemen zur Verringerung des Verpackungsverbrauchs – Mögliche Maßnahmen zur Etablierung, Verbreitung und Optimierung von Mehrwegsystemen: Teilbericht I

    Rödig, L., Jepsen, D., Falkenstein, A., Zimmermann, T., Hauschke, F., Cayé, N., Schüler, K., Burger, A., Schomerus, T. & Jacobj, H., 12.2022, Dessau-Roßlau: Umweltbundesamt, 247 p. (Texte/Umweltbundesamt; vol. 148).

    Research output: Working paperResearch communication reportsResearch

  10. Published

    Interview mit Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Thomas Schomerus

    Schomerus, T., 15.11.2022, In: Fachzeitschrift für Energierecht. 2022, 6, p. 246-247 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch