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

    Web-Based Stress Management Program for University Students in Indonesia: Systematic Cultural Adaptation and Protocol for a Feasibility Study.

    Juniar, D., van Ballegooijen, W., Karyotaki, E., van Schaik, A., Passchier, J., Heber, E., Lehr, D., Supardi Sadarjoen, S. & Riper, H., 25.01.2019, In: JMIR Research Protocols. 8, 1, 11 p., e11493.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Web-based occupational stress prevention in German micro- and small-sized enterprises – process evaluation results of an implementation study

    Engels, M., Scheepers, L., Engels, J., Boß, L., Kuhlmann, R., Kuske, J., Lesener, L., Pavlista, V., Schmidt-Stiedenroth, K., Diebig, M., Ruhle, S. A., Zapkau, F. B., Angerer, P., Hoewner, J., Lehr, D., Schwens, C., Süß, S., Wulf, I. C. & Dragano, N., 12.2024, In: BMC Public Health. 24, 1, 22 p., 1618.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Web-based intervention for depressive symptoms in adults with types 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus: a health economic evaluation

    Nobis, S., Ebert, D. D., Lehr, D., Smit, F., Buntrock, C., Berking, M., Baumeister, H., Snoek, F., Funk, B. & Riper, H., 04.2018, In: The British Journal of Psychiatry. 212, 4, p. 199-206 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    “We are Rosas”: a case study on how identity matters in local food groups

    Pöggel, K. & Fischer, D., 27.11.2023, In: Sustainability: Science, Practice, and Policy. 19, 1, 17 p., 2278244.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Watershed groundwater balance estimation using streamflow recession analysis and baseflow separation

    Wittenberg, H. & Sivapalan, M., 01.06.1999, In: Journal of Hydrology. 219, 1-2, p. 20-33 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Water, Rivers and Wetlands

    Newig, J. & Challies, E., 2014, Routledge Handbook of global Environmental Politics. Harris, P. (ed.). London & New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 439-452 14 p. 34. (Routledge Handbooks).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticles for encyclopediaResearch

  7. Published

    Water, rivers and wetlands: Governance paradigms and principles

    Challies, E. & Newig, J., 25.03.2022, Routledge Handbook of Global Environmental Politics, Second Edition. Harris, P. G. (ed.). Taylor and Francis Inc., p. 512-525 14 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  8. Published

    Water-related problématiques: five archetypical contexts of water governance

    Bilalova, S., Villamayor-Tomas, S. & Newig, J., 01.2025, In: Ecology and Society. 30, 1, 40 p., 10.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Water quantity and quality in the Zerafshan river basin - only an upstream riparian problem?

    Olsson, O., Wegerich, K. & Kabilov, F., 01.09.2012, In: International Journal of Water Resources Development. 28, 3, p. 493-505 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  10. Published

    Water quantity and quality in the Zerafshan River basin: Only an upstream riparian problem?

    Olsson, O., Wegerich, K. & Kabilov, F., 08.04.2016, Water and Security in Central Asia: Solving a Rubik's Cube. Stucki, V., Wegerich, K., Rahaman, M. M. & Varis, O. (eds.). Taylor and Francis Inc., p. 99-111 13 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review