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

    Leben in Dörfern: Die Bedeutungen öffentlicher Räume für Frauen im ländlichen Raum

    Thiem, A., 2009, Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. 252 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  2. Published

    Leben gestalten lernen - Kompetenzen: eine Fortbildungsreihe für den Elementarbereich ; natürlich lernen ; Lebengestaltenlernen

    Benoist, B. (Editor) & Hübner, K. (Editor), 2004, Hilpoltstein: Landesbund für Vogelschutz in Bayern . 200 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCompendium/lecture notesEducation

  3. Published

    Lebe Deine Stadt! Jugendliche als Akteure der Stadterneuerung

    Edelhoff, S. H., Heinrich, J., Schauz, T. & Angela, M., 2015, Über Städtebauförderung hinaus: Beiträge aus Lehre und Forschung an deutschsprachigen Hochschulen . Altrock, U., Kunze, R., Schmitt, G. & Schubert, D. (eds.). Berlin: Altrock, p. 185-195 11 p. (Jahrbuch Stadterneuerung; vol. 2014/15).

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

  4. Published

    Least-Cost Transportation Planning - Eine Konzeptidee: Eine neue Methode zur ökologischen und ökonomischen effizienten Verkehrsplanung

    Bergmann, M., Bracher, T., Diegmann, V. & Uricher, A., 1997, In: Internationales Verkehrswesen. 49, 10, p. 499-503 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  5. Published

    Learning to spend time in unusual times: An inquiry into the potential for sustainability learning during COVID-19-induced school closures

    Grauer, C., Frank, P. & Fischer, D., 01.12.2023, In: International Review of Education. 69, 6, p. 823-849 27 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Learning to collaborate while collaborating: advancing interdisciplinary sustainability research

    Freeth, R. & Caniglia, G., 01.01.2020, In: Sustainability Science. 15, 1, p. 247-261 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Learning to collaborate from diverse interactions in project-based sustainability courses

    Konrad, T., Wiek, A. & Barth, M., 02.09.2021, In: Sustainability. 13, 17, 15 p., 9884.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Learning to change universities from within: A service-learning perspective on promoting sustainable consumption in higher education

    Barth, M., Adomßent, M., Fischer, D., Richter, S. & Rieckmann, M., 01.01.2014, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 62, 1, p. 72-81 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Learning through evaluation: A tentative evaluative scheme for sustainability transition experiments

    Lüderitz, C., Schäpke, N., Wiek, A., Lang, D. J., Bergmann, M., Bos, J. J., Burch, S., Davies, A., Evans, J., König, A., Farrelly, M. A., Forrest, N., Frantzeskaki, N., Gibson, R. B., Kay, B., Loorbach, D., McCormick, K., Parodi, O., Rauschmayer, F., Schneidewind, U., Stauffacher, M., Stelzer, F., Trencher, G., Venjakob, J., Vergragt, P. J., von Wehrden, H. & Westley, F. R., 15.12.2017, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 169, p. 61-76 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Learning spaces in multi-stakeholder initiatives: The German Partnership for Sustainable Textiles as a platform for dialogue and learning?

    Beyers, F. & Leventon, J., 01.09.2021, In: Earth System Governance. 9, 13 p., 100113.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review