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. 2021
  2. Published

    Transformative Indikatoren: Zielorientierung und Wirkungsabschätzung in Reallaboren

    Rose, M. & Schleicher, K., 2021, Wege transformativer Forschung: Zielorientierung und Indikatoren: Dokumentation des tF-Symposiums am 7. Oktober 2020. Gemeinhardt, A. & Lehmann, K. (eds.). Darmstadt: Schader-Stiftung, p. 53-63 11 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearch

  3. Published
  4. Published

    Videoanalyse mit dem Kategoriensystem inklusiver naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht (KinU)

    Brauns, S. & Abels, S., 2021, In: Progress in Science Education. 4, 2, p. 71-84 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Vorschläge für einen klimagerechten Ausbau der Photovoltaik und Windenergie

    Bett, A., Erlach, B., Gölz, S., Gutnik, M., Hentschel, A., Hirschl, B., Hübner, G., Kienzlen, V., Matthies, E., Müller, F. J. Y., Münch, W., O'Sullivan, M., Rech, B., Reusswig, F. W., Schöbel-Rutschman, S., Schomerus, T. & Stryi-Hipp, G., 2021, München: acatech - Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften e.V., 5 p. (Impuls; vol. November 2021).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  6. Published

    Was steckt hinter der mysteriösen Flasche? Ein Mystery als Stimulus für Fragen beim Forschenden Lernen

    Hofer, E., Puddu, S., Abels, S. & Lembens, A., 2021, In: Unterricht Physik. 32, 182, p. 42-45 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  7. Published

    Water Policy and Governance in Transition: The EU Water Framework Directive

    Kochskämper, E. & Newig, J., 2021, Water Resilience: Management and Governance in Times of Change. Baird, J. & Plummer, R. (eds.). Cham: Springer Nature AG, p. 23-40 18 p. (Water Resilience).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Wiederherstellung degradierter Sandheidelebensräume

    Tischew, S., Dolnik, C., Meyer, F. & Härdtle, W., 2021, In: Natur und Landschaft. 96, 4, p. 184-191 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Wirtschaft und Verkehrswende: Nachhaltigkeitstransformation der Autoindustrie

    Schaltegger, S., 2021, In: Forum Nachhaltig Wirtschaften. 2021, 3, p. 88-89 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  10. 2020
  11. Published

    The Caterpillar Hunter Beetles Calosoma Weber (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in the southern Levant

    Aßmann, T., Boutaud, E., Buse, J., Drees, C., Friedmann, A.-L.-L., Hetzel, A., Orbach, E., Renan, I., Reuter, C. & Wrase, D. W., 31.12.2020, In: Israel Journal of Entomology. 50, 2, p. 133-158 26 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  12. Published