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. 2019
  2. Published

    Biologisch abbaubare Chinolon-Antibiotika

    Kümmerer, K., Leder, C., Rastogi, T., Suk, M. & Menz, J., 11.04.2019, IPC No. A61K31/47 , A61P31/04 , C07D215/233, C07D215/38 , C07D403/12, C07D401/12, Y02A50/30, Europäisches Patentamt, Patent No. DE102017218114A1, 11.10.2017, Priority date 11.10.2017, Priority No. DE102017218114A

    Research output: PatentsPatent

  3. Published

    Synthesis, self-assembly, bacterial and fungal toxicity, and preliminary biodegradation studies of a series of L-phenylalanine-derived surface-active ionic liquids

    Kapitanov, I. V., Jordan, A., Karpichev, Y., Spulak, M., Perez, L., Kellett, A., Kümmerer, K. & Gathergood, N., 07.04.2019, In: Green Chemistry . 21, 7, p. 1777-1794 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Clusters of water governance problems and their effects on policy delivery

    Kirschke, S., Franke, C., Newig, J. & Borchardt, D., 03.04.2019, In: Policy and Society. 38, 2, p. 255-277 23 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Seeking sustainability competence and capability in the ESD and HESD literature: an international philosophical hermeneutic analysis

    Shepard, K., Rieckmann, M. & Barth, M., 03.04.2019, In: Environmental Education Research. 25, 4, p. 532 - 547 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Author Correction: Biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation (Nature Sustainability, (2019), 2, 3, (214-222), 10.1038/s41893-019-0244-z)

    Hill, R., Nates-Parra, G., Quezada-Euán, J. J. G., Buchori, D., LeBuhn, G., Maués, M. M., Pert, P. L., Kwapong, P. K., Saeed, S., Breslow, S. J., da Cunha, M. C., Dicks, L. V., Galetto, L., Gikungu, M., Howlett, B. G., Imperatriz-Fonseca, V. L., Lyver, P. O. B., Martín-López, B., Oteros-Rozas, E., Potts, S. G. & Roué, M., 01.04.2019, In: Nature Sustainability. 2, 4, p. 348-348 1 p.

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

  7. Published

    Conservation value of moist evergreen Afromontane forest sites with different management and history in southwestern Ethiopia

    Shumi, G., Rodrigues, P., Schultner, J., Dorresteijn, I., Hanspach, J., Hylander, K., Senbeta, F. & Fischer, J., 01.04.2019, In: Biological Conservation. 232, p. 117-126 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Das Reflexivitätsproblem und die Kategorienlehre: Versuch einer Aktualisierung

    Schmieg, G., 01.04.2019, Nicolai Hartmanns Neue Ontologie und die Philosophische Anthropologie: Menschliches Leben in Natur und Geist. von Kalckreuth, M., Schmieg, G. & Hausen, F. (eds.). Walter de Gruyter, p. 63-88 26 p. (Philosophische Anthropologie; vol. 11).

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

  9. Published

    Einleitung

    von Kalckreuth, M., Schmieg, G. & Hausen, F., 01.04.2019, Nicolai Hartmanns Neue Ontologie und die Philosophische Anthropologie: Menschliches Leben in Natur und Geist. von Kalckreuth, M., Schmieg, G. & Hausen, F. (eds.). Walter de Gruyter, p. 1-10 (Philosophische Anthropologie; vol. 11).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksOtherResearch

  10. Published

    Fast response of groundwater to heavy rainfall

    Wittenberg, H., Aksoy, H. & Miegel, K., 01.04.2019, In: Journal of Hydrology. 571, p. 837-842 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published