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. 2015
  2. Published

    Was wir noch zu sagen hätten - Briefe an unsere Leserinnen und Leser

    Defila, R., Di Giulio, A., Fischer, D., Gölz, S., Kaufmann-Hayoz, R. & Schäfer, M., 2015, Transdisziplinär forschen - zwischen Ideal und gelebter Praxis: Hotspots, Geschichten, Wirkungen. Defila, R. & Di Giulio, A. (eds.). Frankfurt: Campus Verlag, p. 331–341 11 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  3. Published

    Weitblick statt Glaskugel? Vom souveränen Umgang mit Trends

    Schmitt-Sattelberg, A., 2015, Nachhaltige Unternehmensentwicklung im Mittelstand: Mit Innovationskraft zukunftsfähig wirtschaften. Petersen, H. & Schaltegger, S. (eds.). München: oekom verlag GmbH, p. 37-56 20 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesTransfer

  4. Published

    Welche kognitiven Fähigkeiten von jungen Kindern sagen ihre Fortschritte beim Wissen über Emotionen voraus?

    von Salisch, M., Klinkhammer, J. & Hänel, M., 2015, Entwicklung und Förderung in der frühen Kindheit: Interdisziplinäre Perspektiven. Cloos, P., Koch, K. & Mähler, C. (eds.). Weinheim: Beltz Juventa Verlag, p. 115 - 132 18 p.

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

  5. Published

    Welches Produkt ist nachhaltig?

    Petersen, H., 2015, Nachhaltige Unternehmensentwicklung im Mittelstand: Mit Innovationskraft zukunftsfähig wirtschaften. Petersen, H. & Schaltegger, S. (eds.). München: oekom verlag GmbH, p. 91-107 17 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesTransfer

  6. Published

    Well-being and Prosperity beyond Growth: Discursive Struggles in the German Enquete Commission on Growth, Prosperity and Quality of Life

    Soetebeer, I., 2015, In: GAIA. 24, 3, p. 179-187 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Weltaktionsprogramm "Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung"

    Michelsen, G. & Kruse-Graumann, L., 2015, Gesucht: Weltumweltpolitik: Herausforderungen im Anthropozän. Simonis, U. E., Leitschuh, H., Michelsen, G., Sommer, J. & Weizsäcker, E. U. V. (eds.). Stuttgart: S. Hirzel Verlag, p. 199-205 7 p. (Jahrbuch Ökologie; vol. 2016).

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

  8. Published
  9. Published

    Wirksamkeit eines internet- und smartphone-basierten Dankbarkeitstrainings zur Verbesserung der gedanklichen Distanzierung – Sekundäranalyse einer randomisiert-kontrollierten Studie

    Lehr, D., Freund, H., Ebert, D. D., Berking, M., Riper, H. & Sieland, B., 2015, Menschen Medien Möglichkeiten: 9. Fachgruppentagung Arbeits-, Organisations- und Wirtschaftspsychologie der DGPs in Mainz, Abstracts. Rigotti, T., Haun, V. C. & Dormann, C. (eds.). Lengerich: Pabst Science Publishers, p. 88-89 2 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsTransfer

  10. Published

    Wirksamkeit und Kosteneffektivität eines Online-Trainings zur Reduktion riskanten Alkoholkonsums bei Erwerbstätigen: Ergebnisse einer drei-armigen randomisiert-kontrollierten Studie

    Boß, L., Lehr, D., Berking, M., Riper, H. & Ebert, D. D., 2015, Menschen – Medien – Möglichkeiten: 9. Fachgruppentagung Arbeits-, Organisations- und Wirtschaftspsychologie der DGPs in Mainz, Abstracts. Rigotti, T., Haun, V. C. & Dormann, C. (eds.). Lengerich: Pabst Science Publishers, p. 90-91 2 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsTransfer

  11. Published

    Worldwide Trends in Green Chemistry Education

    Zuin, V. (Editor) & Mammino, L. (Editor), 2015, 1st ed. ed. Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry. 347 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesBook