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

    Maize silage digestate application affecting germination and early growth of maize modulated by soil type

    Robles-Aguilar, A. A., Temperton, V. M. & Jablonowski, N. D., 20.08.2019, In: Agronomy. 9, 8, 15 p., 473.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Maize rhizosphere priming: field estimates using 13C natural abundance

    Kumar, A., Kuzyakov, Y. & Pausch, J., 01.12.2016, In: Plant and Soil. 409, 1-2, p. 87-97 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Mainstreaming regenerative dynamics for sustainability

    Fischer, J., Farny, S., Abson, D. J., Zuin Zeidler, V., von Salisch, M., Schaltegger, S., Martín-López, B., Temperton, V. M. & Kümmerer, K., 08.2024, In: Nature Sustainability. 7, 8, p. 964–972 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Mainstreaming of Sustainable Cotton in the German Clothing Industry

    Hansen, E. G. & Schaltegger, S., 2016, Sustainable Fibres for Fashion Industry. Muthu, S. S. & Gardetti, M. A. (eds.). 1 ed. Singapur: Springer Science+Business Media, Vol. 1. p. 39-58 20 p. (Environmental Footprints and Eco-Design of Products and Processes).

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

  5. Published

    Mainstream Economy, Development Politics, Sufficiency: The other way around as only sustainable solution?

    Guerra González, J., 09.2012, Lüneburg: Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, 30 p. (Leuphana Schriftenreihe Nachhaltigkeit & Recht; no. 1).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  6. Published

    Macroecological patterns of spider species richness across Europe

    Finch, O.-D., Blick, T. & Schuldt, A., 11.2008, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 17, 12, p. 2849-2868 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. 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

  8. Published

    Macht EMAS einen Unterschied? Kommunikation aktueller Umweltthemen durch deutsche Unternehmen

    Hroch, N. & Schaltegger, S., 01.02.2000, In: Ökologisches Wirtschaften. 15, 1, p. 5-6 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  9. Published

    Macht des Zusammenwirkens: die Berliner "Ökologischen Diskurse" thematisierten des Zusammenhang von Wasser und Macht

    Dörfler, E. P., Hofmeister, S., Knothe, B. & Schramm, E., 2001, In: Zukünfte. 10, 36, p. 64-66 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  10. Published

    Machine learning for optimization of energy and plastic consumption in the production of thermoplastic parts in SME

    Willenbacher, M., Scholten, J. & Wohlgemuth, V., 16.06.2021, In: Sustainability. 13, 12, 20 p., 6800.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review