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

    Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften

    Heinrichs, H. (Editor) & Michelsen, G. (Editor), 02.2014, Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum. 608 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesEducation

  3. Published

    Öffentliche Nachhaltigkeitssteuerung: Politik und nachhaltige Entwicklung

    Heinrichs, H., 02.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 279-289 11 p.

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

  4. Published

    Pressure effects on activity and selectivity of Candida rugosa lipase in organic solvents

    Herbst, D., Peper, S., Fernández, J. F., Ruck, W. & Niemeyer, B., 02.2014, In: Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic. 100, p. 104-110 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Tree diversity promotes functional dissimilarity and maintains functional richness despite species loss in predator assemblages

    Schuldt, A., Bruelheide, H., Durka, W., Michalski, S. G., Purschke, O. & Aßmann, T., 02.2014, In: Oecologia. 174, 2, p. 533-543 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Valuing Climate Change Effects Upon UK Agricultural GHG Emissions: Spatial Analysis of a Regulating Ecosystem Service

    Abson, D., Termansen, M., Pascual, U., Aslam, U., Fezzi, C. & Bateman, I. J., 02.2014, In: Environmental and Resource Economics. 57, 2, p. 215-231 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Wende zur Nachhaltigkeit: Warum wir mehr Forschung für die Menschen mit den Menschen brauchen

    Niebert, K., 02.2014, In: Umwelt Aktuell. 2, p. 4-5 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  8. Published

    Cradle to Cradle®. From recycling building components to up-cycllng buildings. Adapting to accelerated building cycles

    Mulhall, D. & Braungart, M., 30.01.2014, A New Dynamic: Effective Business in a Circular Economy . Webster, K., Bleriot, J., Johnson, C. & Foundation, E. M. (eds.). London: Ellen McArthur Foundation Publishing, p. 75-86 12 p.

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

  9. Published

    Corticosterone mediates carry-over effects between breeding and migration in the kittiwake Rissa tridactyla

    Schultner, J., Moe, B., Chastel, O., Tartu, S., Bech, C. & Kitaysky, A. S., 27.01.2014, In: Marine Ecology Progress Series. 496, p. 125-133 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Understanding the Greenhouse Effect by Embodiment: Analysing and Using Students' and Scientists' Conceptual Resources

    Niebert, K. & Gropengießer, H., 22.01.2014, In: International Journal of Science Education. 36, 2, p. 277-303 27 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Measurement of vapor pressures of selected PBDEs, hexabromobenzene, and 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane at elevated temperatures

    Kuramochi, H., Takigami, H., Scheringer, M. & Sakai, S.-I., 09.01.2014, In: Journal of Chemical & Engineering Data. 59, 1, p. 8-15 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review