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. 2012
  2. Published

    Modification of the umu-assay (ISO 13829) accounting for cytotoxicity in genotoxicity assessment: A preliminary study

    Toolaram, A. P., Gutiérrez, I. R. & Ahlf, W., 18.09.2012, In: Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis. 747, 2, p. 190-196 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Collaborative modelling for active involvement of stakeholders in urban flood risk management

    Evers, M., Jonoski, A., Maksimovič, C. T., Lange, L., Ochoa Rodriguez, S., Teklesadik, A., Cortes Arevalo, J., Almoradie, A., Simões, N. E., Wang, L. & Makropoulos, C., 12.09.2012, In: Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences . 12, 9, p. 2821-2842 22 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Sugars and amino acid composition in nectar of two plant species along a plant diversity gradient

    Venjakob, C., Leonhardt, D. S., Scherber, D. C. & Klein, P.A.-M., 10.09.2012, In: Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft für Ökologie. 42, p. 54 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference abstract in journalResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Academia's obsession with quantity

    Fischer, J., Ritchie, E. G. & Hanspach, J., 01.09.2012, In: Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 27, 9, p. 473-474 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  6. Published

    Tackling the knowledge-action gap in sustainable consumption: insights from a participatory school programme

    Barth, M., Fischer, D., Michelsen, G., Nemnich, C. & Rode, H., 01.09.2012, In: Journal of Education for Sustainable Development. 6, 2, p. 301-312 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Understanding needs embodiment: A theory-guided reanalysis of the role of metaphors and analogies in understanding science

    Niebert, K., Marsch, S. & Treagust, D. F., 01.09.2012, In: Science Education. 96, 5, p. 849-877 29 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Water quantity and quality in the Zerafshan river basin - only an upstream riparian problem?

    Olsson, O., Wegerich, K. & Kabilov, F., 01.09.2012, In: International Journal of Water Resources Development. 28, 3, p. 493-505 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  9. Published

    Agroforestry species of the Bolivian Andes: an integrated assessment of ecological, economic and socio-cultural plant values

    Brandt, R., Zimmermann, H., Hensen, I., Mariscal Castro, J. C. & Rist, S., 09.2012, In: Agroforestry Systems. 86, 1, p. 1-16 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Approach for detecting mutagenicity of biodegraded and ozonated pharmaceuticals, metabolites and transformation products from a drinking water perspective

    Gartiser, S., Hafner, C., Kronenberger-Schäfer, K., Happel, O., Trautwein, C. & Kümmerer, K., 09.2012, In: Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 19, 8, p. 3597-3609 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Different responses of ant species to sugars and amino acids in a subtropical forest of China 

    Methorst, J., Klein, A.-M., Blüthgen, N., Leonhardt, S. & Staab, M., 09.2012, From Basic Ecology to the Challenges of Modern Society, Book of abstracts: 42nd Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of Germany, Austria and Switzerland (GfÖ), Lüneburg, Germany, 10-14 September 2012. Drees, C. & von Oheimb, G. (eds.). Berlin: Gesellschaft für Ökologie, Vol. 42. p. 56-57 2 p. (Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft für Ökologie; no. 42).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review