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

    Development of an ex-vitro system allowing plant-bacteria interactions through VOCs in the context of water stress

    Mendaluk - Saunier de Cazenave, M., Baudson, C., Delory, B., 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. 98 1 p.

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

  3. Published

    Multi-level Governance, Policy Implementation and Participation: The EU’s Mandated Participatory Planning Approach to Implementing Environmental Policy

    Newig, J. & Koontz, T. M., 07.02.2014, In: Journal of European Public Policy. 21, 2, p. 248-267 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Quantitative gas chromatography - mass spectrometry profiling of volatile organic compounds produced by barley (Hordeum distichon L.) roots according to plant age

    Delory, B., Delaplace, P., du Jardin, P. & Fauconnier, M.-L., 07.02.2014, Book of short abstracts, Poster presentations: 19th National Symposium on Applied Biological Sciences. Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, p. 82 1 p.

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

  5. Published

    Identification of phototransformation products of thalidomide and mixture toxicity assessment: An experimental and quantitative structural activity relationships (QSAR) approach

    Mahmoud, W. M. M., Toolaram, A. P., Menz, J., Leder, C., Schneider, M. & Kümmerer, K., 01.02.2014, In: Water Research. 49, 1, p. 11-22 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Bird community responses to the edge between suburbs and reserves

    Ikin, K., Barton, P. S., Knight, E., Lindenmayer, D. B., Fischer, J. & Manning, A. D., 02.2014, In: Oecologia. 174, 2, p. 545-557 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Economic Analysis for the UK National Ecosystem Assessment: Synthesis and Scenario Valuation of Changes in Ecosystem Services

    Bateman, I. J., Harwood, A. R., Abson, D., Andrews, B., Crowe, A., Dugdale, S., Fezzi, C., Foden, J., Hadley, D., Haines-Young, R., Hulme, M. F., Kontoleon, A., Munday, P., Pascual, U., Paterson, J. S., Perino, G., Sen, A., Siriwardena, G. M. & Termansen, M., 02.2014, In: Environmental and Resource Economics. 57, 2, p. 273-297 25 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Energy in low carbon cities and social learning: A process for defining priority research questions with UK stakeholders

    Martin, C. J., Taylor, P. G., Upham, P., Ghiasi, G., Bale, C. S. E., James, H., Owen, A., Gale, W. F., Slack, R. J. & Helmer, S., 02.2014, In: Sustainable Cities and Society. 10, p. 149-160 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Hochwasser- und Küstenschutz in Deutschland

    Brinkmann, B. & Heinrichs, H., 02.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 501-522 22 p.

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

  10. Published

    Mixed afforestation of young subtropical trees promotes nitrogen acquisition and retention

    Lang, A. C., von Oheimb, G., Härdtle, W., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Yang, B., Ma, K., Trogisch, S. & Bruelheide, H., 02.2014, In: Journal of Applied Ecology. 51, 1, p. 224-233 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Nachhaltige Kommunalverwaltung

    Kirst, E., Trockel, S. & Heinrichs, H., 02.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 549-566 18 p.

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