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. Published

    Testing socio-cultural valuation methods of ecosystem services to explain land use preferences

    Schmidt, K., Walz, A., Martín-López, B. & Sachse, R., 01.08.2017, In: Ecosystem Services. 26, Part A, p. 270-288 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Testing Cort-Fitness and Cort-Adaptation hypotheses in a habitat suitability gradient for roe deer

    Escribano-Avila, G., Pettorelli, N., Virgós, E., Lara-Romero, C., Lozano Mendoza, J., Barja, I., Cuadra, F. S. & Puerta, M., 11.2013, In: Acta Oecologica. 53, p. 38-48 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Testing alien plant distribution and habitat invasibility in mountain ecosystems: growth form matters

    Giorgis, M. A., Cingolani, A. M., Tecco, P. A., Cabido, M., Poca, M. & von Wehrden, H., 01.07.2016, In: Biological Invasions. 18, 7, p. 2017-2028 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Tertiäre Regulierung und Nachhaltigkeit: Eine interdisziplinäre Analyse der EU-Netzkodizes für Elektrizität

    Brüning-Pfeiffer, A., 01.01.2022, Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG. 230 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesBook

  5. Published

    Terry Erwin’s legacy: from taxonomy and natural history to biodiversity research and conservation biology

    Assmann, T., 16.06.2021, In: ZooKeys. 1044, p. 23-39 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. 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

  7. Published

    TERIM – Transition Dynamics in Energy Regions: An Integrated Model for Sustainable Policies

    Binder, C. R., Absenger-Helmli, I., Bedenik, K., Chappin, E., Dijkema, G., Goetz, A., Hecher, M., Knoeri, C. & Vilsmaier, U., 2014, Tagungsband 15. Klimatag: 2.–4. April 2014. Innsbruch: Universität Innsbruck , p. 78-79 2 p.

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

  8. Published

    Tentative Theses on Transformative Research in Real-World Laboratories: First Insights from the Accompanying Research ForReal

    Schäpke, N., Stelzer, F., Bergmann, M. & Lang, D. J., 01.11.2016, In: Technikfolgenabschätzung. 25, 3, p. 45-51 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  9. Published

    Ten essentials for action-oriented and second order energy transitions, transformations and climate change research

    Fazey, I., Schäpke, N., Caniglia, G., Patterson, J., Hultman, J., van Mierlo, B., Säwe, F., Wiek, A., Wittmayer, J., Aldunce, P., Al Waer, H., Battacharya, N., Bradbury, H., Carmen, E., Colvin, J., Cvitanovic, C., D'Souza, M., Gopel, M., Goldstein, B., Hämäläinen, T., Harper, G., Henfry, T., Hodgson, A., Howden, M. S., Kerr, A., Klaes, M., Lyon, C., Midgley, G., Moser, S., Mukherjee, N., Müller, K., O'Brien, K., O'Connell, D. A., Olsson, P., Page, G., Reed, M. S., Searle, B., Silvestri, G., Spaiser, V., Strasser, T., Tschakert, P., Uribe-Calvo, N., Waddell, S., Rao-Williams, J., Wise, R., Wolstenholme, R., Woods, M. & Wyborn, C., 01.06.2018, In: Energy Research and Social Science. 40, June 2018, p. 54-70 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  10. Published

    Temporäre Nutzungen urbaner Brachflächen: Übergänge in der nachhaltigen Siedlungsentwicklung

    Kruse, S., 2006, Fläche – Zukunft – Raum: Strategien und Instrumente für Regionen im Umbruch. Genske, D., Huch, M. & Müller, B. (eds.). Hannover: Deutsche Geologische Gesellschaft – Geologische Vereinigung, p. 194-202 9 p. (Schriften der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Geowissenschaften; no. 37).

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