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. 2002
  2. Published

    Coastal Energy Management: Integration erneuerbarer Energieerzeugung an der Küste

    Runge, K. (Editor), 2002, Berlin: Berliner Wissenschafts-Verlag. 92 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  3. Published

    Corporate Environmental Performance Evaluation: Evidence from the Mepi Project

    Tyteca, D., Carlens, J., Berkhout, F., Hertin, J., Wehrmeyer, W. & Wagner, M., 2002, In: Business Strategy and the Environment. 11, 1, p. 1-13 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Daseinsvorsorge, Wettbewerbsentwicklungen und die Sozialberufe – Sozialmanagerinnen in Europa

    Mayer, M. & Herrenbrück, S., 2002, European Services of General Interest : Touchstone for the German Social Economy: Europäische Daseinsvorsorge : Prüfsteine für die deutsche Sozialwirtschaft. Herrmann, P. (ed.). Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, p. 106-121 15 p. (Editon SocialManagement; no. 18).

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

  5. Published

    Deckschichten an Wasserstrassen

    Brinkmann, B., Trentmann, J. & Saathoff, F., 2002, In: Binnenschifffahrt. 57, 6

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  6. Published

    Determination of pesticide fluxes in beech forests

    Bernhardt, A., Palm, W.-U. & Ruck, W., 2002, Slowly degradable organics in the atmospheric environment and air-sea exchange: Proceedings of the international Workshop 26 September 2001. Lammel, G. (ed.). Hamburg: Max-Planck Institut für Meteorologie, p. 29-32 4 p.

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

  7. Published

    Determination of vapor-phase PAH in ambient air

    Kock, H. H., Ebinghaus, R., Heisterkamp, I., Rosenfeld, H. & Ruck, W., 2002, Transport and chemical transformation in the troposphere: Proceedings of EUROTRAC Symposium 2002. Midgley, P. & Reuther, M. (eds.). Weikersheim: Margraf Verlag, p. 671-673 3 p.

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

  8. Published
  9. Published

    Die Kommunikation über Nachhaltigkeit braucht mehr Professionalität

    Michelsen, G. & Godemann, J., 2002, Umweltkommunikation - vom Wissen zum Handeln: 7. Internationale Sommerakademie St. Marienthal . Brickwedde, F. & Peters, U. (eds.). Erich Schmidt Verlag, p. 329-337 9 p. (Initiativen zum Umweltschutz; vol. 44).

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

  10. Published

    Die Welt zur Heimat machen ?

    Engelhardt, W. (Editor) & Stoltenberg, U. (Editor), 2002, Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt. 224 p. (Probleme und Perspektiven des Sachunterrichts; vol. 12)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesConference proceedingsResearch

  11. Published

    Die Welt zur Heimat machen ?

    Engelhardt, W. & Stoltenberg, U., 2002, Die Welt zur Heimat machen ?. Engelhardt, W. & Stoltenberg, U. (eds.). Klinkhardt, p. 9-26 18 p. (Probleme und Perspektiven des Sachunterrichts; vol. 12).

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