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. 2003
  2. Published

    Kinder leben Räume

    Stoltenberg, U., 2003, In: Grundschulunterricht. Sachunterricht. 50, 4, p. 3-7 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Kompendium Umweltrecht: ein Leitfaden für Studium und Praxis

    Oberrath, J.-D., Hahn, O. & Schomerus, T., 2003, 3. ed. Stuttgart: Boorberg-Verlag. 325 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsEducation

  4. Published

    Leistungsermittlung von Sielbauwerken

    Brinkmann, B. & Thielecke, S., 2003, In: Wasserwirtschaft. 93, 1/2

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  5. Published

    Liste der Waldgefäßpflanzen Deutschlands

    Schmidt, M., Ewald, J., Fischer, A., Oheimb, G., Kriebitzsch, W.-U., Ellenberg, H. & Schmidt, W., 2003, Hamburg: Verlag Max Wiedebusch. 34 p. (Mitteilungen der Bundesforschungsanstalt für Forst- und Holzwirtschaft Hamburg; vol. 12)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  6. Published

    "Macht-los?": zwischen Partizipation und Eigensinn

    Mölders, T. & Winterfeld, U., 2003, Zwischentöne gestalten: Dialoge zur Verbindung von Geschlechterverhältnissen und Nachhaltigkeit. Hofmeister, S., Mölders, T. & Karsten, M. E. (eds.). Bielefeld: Kleine Verlag, p. 178-197 20 p.

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

  7. Published

    Nachhaltig beeindruckt? Frauenaktivitäten rund um den Weltgipfel in Johannesburg

    Mölders, T., Brinkmann, V. & Grüning, J., 2003, In: Wir Frauen. 22, 1, p. 16-18 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Transfer

  8. Published

    Nachhaltige Geschäftsmodelle

    Möller, A. & Rolf, A., 2003, Hamburg: Universität Hamburg, 81 p. (Mitteilung Fachbereich Informatik; no. 327).

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsResearch

  9. Published

    Nachhaltige Orientierungen bei Akteuren sozialer Bewegungen. Lokale Initiativen als Möglichkeitsraum lebenslangen Lernens im Kontext einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung

    Molitor, H., 2003, Frankfurt am Main [u.a.]: Peter Lang Verlag. 234 p. (Studien zur Erwachsenenbildung; vol. 20)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  10. Published

    Nachhaltige Stadtentwicklung: Eine Herausforderung für Umweltkommunikation und Soziale Arbeit

    Michelsen, G. (Editor) & Maier, K. (Editor), 2003, Frankfurt am Main: Verlag für Akademische Schriften. 348 p. (Innovation in den Hochschulen: Nachhaltige Entwickliung)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  11. Published

    Nachhaltigkeit professionell kommunizieren: sustainability communications

    Franz-Balsen, A. & Godemann, J., 2003, In: Politische Ökologie. 84, 04, p. 69-70 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch