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. 2010
  2. Published

    Biogeography meets conservation: the genetic structure of the endangered lycaenid butterfly Lycaena helle (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)

    Habel, J. C., Schmitt, T., Meyer, M., Finger, A., Roedder, D., Aßmann, T. & Zachos, F. E., 09.2010, In: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 101, 1, p. 155-168 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Inhibition of foam cell formation using a soluble CD68-Fc fusion protein

    Daub, K., Siegel-Axel, D., Schönberger, T., Leder, C., Seizer, P., Müller, K., Schaller, M., Penz, S., Menzel, D., Buchele, B., Bültmann, A., Münch, G., Lindemann, S., Simmet, T. & Gawaz, M., 09.2010, In: Journal of Molecular Medicine. 88, 9, p. 909-920 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Managing Strategic Alliances through a Community-Enabled Balanced Scorecard: The Case of Merck Ltd, Thailand

    Hansen, E. G., Sextl, M. & Reichwald, R., 09.2010, In: Business Strategy and the Environment. 19, 6, p. 387-399 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Mobiler Hochwasserschutz

    Koppe, B. & Brinkmann, B., 09.2010, In: Florian express. September 2010, p. 360-369 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  6. Published

    Periods of recent dune sand mobilisation in Cuddalore, Southeast India

    Frechen, M., Ramachandran, R., Urban, B. & Kunz, J.-A., 09.2010, In: Zeitschrift der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Geowissenschaften. 161, 3, p. 353-368 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Stingless bees use terpenes as olfactory cues to find resin sources

    Leonhardt, S., Zeilhofer, S., Blüthgen, N. & Schmitt, T., 09.2010, In: Chemical Senses. 35, 7, p. 603-611 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Terpenoids tame aggressors: role of chemicals in stingless bee communal nesting

    Leonhardt, S., Jung, L.-M., Schmitt, T. & Blüthgen, N., 09.2010, In: Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 64, 9, p. 1415-1423 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Detection and mapping of water pollution variation in the Nile Delta using multivariate clustering and GIS techniques

    Shaban, M., Urban, B., El Saadi, A. M. K. & Faisal, M., 01.08.2010, In: Journal of Environmental Management. 91, 8, p. 1785-1793 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Luminescence dating of late holocene dunes showing remnants of early settlement in Cuddalore and evidence of monsoon activity in south east India

    Frechen, M., Ramachandran, R., Urban, B. & Kunz, J.-A., 01.08.2010, In: Quaternary International. 222, 1-2, p. 194-208 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Chancen erkennen und nutzen: Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung im Alltag von Kindertagesstätten

    Benoist, B. & Heuser, H.-H., 08.2010, Hier spielt die Zukunft: Kindergärten als Bildungsorte für nachhaltige Entwicklung ; Dokumentation zur Fachtagung vom 30.11. – 01.12.2009/Bonn. Kruppa, E. (ed.). Frankfurt am Main: Leuchtpol, p. 49-52 4 p. (Schriftenreihe der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Natur- und Umweltbildung Bundesverband e.V.)(Leuchtpol Bibliothek Sonderedition; no. 1).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearch