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. E-pub ahead of print

    Lagged Multidimensional Recurrence Quantification Analysis for Determining Leader–Follower Relationships Within Multidimensional Time Series

    Tomashin, A., Gordon, I., Leonardi, G., Berson, Y., Milstein, N., Ziegler, M., Hess, U. & Wallot, S., 10.10.2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Psychological Methods. 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    L'agenda 21 locale: luogo di costruzione della sostenibilità

    Stoltenberg, U., 2005, La Sostenibilità si può fare: la "vetrina per uno sviluppo sostenibile": un progetto innovativo per la comunicazione e lo sviluppo della sostenibilità. Stoltenberg, U., Muraca, B. & Nora, E. (eds.). Frankfurt am Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 64-73 10 p.

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

  3. Published

    La Fonction de Gestionnaire chez BP: Prise de Décision et responsabilités en haute mer

    Lüdeke-Freund, F. & Zvezdov, D., 2013, In: Revue Internationale De Cas En Gestion. 11, 2, 34 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesEducationpeer-review

  4. Published

    La comunicazione ambientale nei processi locali dell'Agenda 21

    Stoltenberg, U., 2000, Lokale Agenda 21 / Akteure und Aktionen in Deutschland und Italien. Agenda 21 locale / Attori ed azioni in Germania ed in Italia. Stoltenberg, U. & Nora, E. (eds.). Frankfurt/Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 15-19 5 p.

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

  5. Published

    Labs in the real world: Advancing transdisciplinary research and sustainability transformation: Mapping the field and emerging lines of inquiry

    Schäpke, N., Bergmann, M., Stelzer, F. & Lang, D. J., 01.01.2018, In: GAIA. 27, Supplement 1, p. 8-11 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Lab-scale experiment of a closed thermochemical heat storage system including honeycomb heat exchanger

    Fopah-Lele, A., Rohde, C., Neumann, K., Tietjen, T., Rönnebeck, T., N'Tsoukpoe, K. E., Osterland, T., Opel, O. & Ruck, W. K. L., 01.11.2016, In: Energy. 114, p. 225-238 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Labelling Sustainable Software Products and Websites: Ideas , Approaches , and Challenges

    Kern, E., Dick, M., Naumann, S. & Filler, A., 01.01.2015, 29th International Conference on Informatics for Environmental Protection. Atlantis Press, p. 82-91 10 p. (Advances in Computer Science Research).

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

  8. Published

    La aceptación pública de las aplicaciones de las Pilas de Combustible de Hidrógeno en Europa

    Oltra, C., Dütschke, E., Sala, R., Schneider, U. & Upham, P., 01.10.2017, In: Revista Internacional de Sociologia. 75, 4, 15 p., e076.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Kyoto ist anderswo: zwischen Interdisziplinarität und Nachhaltigkeit

    Möller, A. & Bornemann, B., 01.02.2005, In: Informatik-Spektrum. 28, 1, p. 15-23 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  10. Published

    Kupfer - früher Einstieg und starke Zukunftsaussichten

    Weiser, A., 2018, Metalle auf der Bühne der Menschheit: Von Ötzis Kupferbeil zum Smartphone im All Metals Age. Held, M., Jenny, R. D. & Hempel, M. (eds.). München: oekom verlag GmbH, p. 9 1 p. (DBU-Umweltkommunikation; vol. 11).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksOtherResearch