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. 1996
  2. Published

    Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): Quo Vadis?

    Schaltegger, S. (Editor), 1996, Basel: Birkhäuser Verlag GmbH. 187 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  3. Published

    Managerial Eco-Control in Manufacturing and Process Industries

    Schaltegger, S. & Sturm, A., 1996, In: Greener Management International. 13, 1, p. 78-91 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Mit Öko-Controlling zur Öko-Effizienz

    Schaltegger, S., 1996, In: Ökologische Briefe. 2, p. 4 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  5. Published

    Nahverkehrsabgaben-Modelle

    Schomerus, T., 1996, Umweltverkehr : Bausteine für eine zukunftsfähige Verkehrswelt. Smeddinck, U. (ed.). Taunusstein : Eberhard Blottner Verlag, p. 127-144 18 p. (UmweltWissenschaften; vol. 8).

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

  6. Published

    Öko-Controlling: Überblick über bisherige Ansätze

    Schaltegger, S. & Kempke, S., 1996, In: Zeitschrift für Betriebswirtschaft. 66, Ergänzungsheft 2/96, p. 149-163 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Private Städte: Eine Utopie?

    Schaltegger, S., 1996, In: UNI NOVA (DE). 77/96, November, p. 35-38 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  8. Published

    Sommer, Sonne - Ozonalarm? Perspektiven für eine umweltgerechte Mobilität in der Stadt

    Bergmann, M. & Loose, W., 1996, Freiburg: Öko-Institut. 235 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  9. 1995
  10. Published

    On the theoretical concept of the potential natural vegetation and proposals for an up-to-date modification

    Härdtle, W., 01.09.1995, In: Folia Geobotanica. 30, 3, p. 263-276 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Developing a Green Business Portfolio

    Ilinitch, A. Y. & Schaltegger, S., 01.04.1995, In: Long Range Planning. 28, 2, p. 29-38 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  12. Published

    Das Handwörterbuch der Ökobilanzierung: Begriffe und Definitionen

    Schaltegger, S. & Kubat, R., 1995, 2., aktual. ed. Basel: Wirtschaftswissenschaftliches Zentrum (WWZ) der Universität Basel. 120 p. (WWZ-Studien; no. 45)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch