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. 2014
  2. Published

    Pathogen induced disturbance and succession in temperate forests: Evidence from a 100-year data set in southern Sweden

    Brunet, J., Bukina, Y., Hedwall, P.-O., Holmström, E. & Oheimb, G., 03.2014, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 15, 2, p. 114-121 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Physicochemical properties and biodegradability of organically functionalized colloidal silica particles in aqueous environment

    Schneider, M., Meder, F., Haiß, A., Treccani, L., Rezwan, K. & Kümmerer, K., 03.2014, In: Chemosphere. 99, p. 96-101 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Plant diversity effects on pollinating and herbivorous insects can be linked to plant stoichiometry

    Abbas, M., Klein, A. M., Ebeling, A., Oelmann, Y., Ptacnik, R., Weisser, W. W. & Hillebrand, H., 03.2014, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 15, 2, p. 169-178 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Wasser

    Evers, M. & Newig, J., 03.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin: Springer, p. 475-500 26 p.

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

  6. Published

    Pollination and Plant Resources Change the Nutritional Quality of Almonds for Human Health

    Brittain, C., Kremen, C., Garber, A. K. & Klein, A.-M., 27.02.2014, In: PLoS ONE. 9, 2, 7 p., e90082.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    The Three-Tiered Leuphana Model of Student Support

    Balsam, R., Newig, J. & Seifert, A., 20.02.2014, Lüneburg: Universität Lüneburg, Institut für Umweltkommunikation (INFU), 14 p. (INFU - Diskussionsbeiträge; no. 39/14).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  8. Published

    Sustainability-Oriented Innovation of SMEs: A Systematic Review

    Klewitz, J. & Hansen, E. G., 15.02.2014, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 65, p. 57-75 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  9. Published

    Using the Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix to synthesize biofuel and bioenergy impact assessment results: The example of medium scale bioenergy heat options

    Upham, P. & Smith, B., 15.02.2014, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 65, p. 261-269 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Anpassung an regionale Klimafolgen kommunizieren: Konzepte, Herausforderungen und Perspektiven

    Beese, K. (Editor), Fekkak, M. (Editor), Katz, C. (Editor), Körner, C. (Editor) & Molitor, H. (Editor), 13.02.2014, München: oekom verlag GmbH. 517 p. (Klimawandel in Regionen zukunftsfähig gestalten : Klimzug; vol. 2)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  11. Published

    archiDART: a R package allowing root system architecture analysis using Data Analysis of Root Tracings (DART) output files

    Delory, B., Baudson, C., Brostaux, Y., Pagès, L., du Jardin, P. & Delaplace, P., 07.02.2014, Book of short abstracts, poster presentations: 19th National Symposium on Applied Biological Sciences. Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, p. 14 1 p.

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