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

    Invertebrate herbivory rather than competition with tussocks will increasingly delay highland forest regeneration in degraded areas under active restoration

    Renison, D., Rodriguez, J. M., García Cannata, L., von Wehrden, H. & Hensen, I., 15.02.2022, In: Forest Ecology and Management. 506, 119990.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Invertebrate diversity and national responsibility for species conservation across Europe: A multi-taxon approach

    Schuldt, A. & Aßmann, T., 11.2010, In: Biological Conservation. 143, 11, p. 2747-2756 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Inventory of biodegradation data of ionic liquids

    Amsel, A. K., Olsson, O. & Kümmerer, K., 01.07.2022, In: Chemosphere. 299, 134385.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Inventing a secure future: material stewardship as chemistry's mission for sustainability

    Matlin, S. A., Cornell, S. E., Kümmerer, K., Mahaffy, P. G. & Mehta, G., 14.01.2025, In: RSC Sustainability. 3, 2, p. 804-821 18 p., d4su00576g.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  5. Published

    Introspektion und Bildung für nachhaltigen Konsum: Ein Lehr-Lern-Format zur systematischen Selbsterforschung in der Auseinandersetzung mit Argumenten zum Konsum tierischer Produkte (Leuphana Universität Lüneburg)

    Frank, P. & Fischer, D., 2018, Nachhaltigkeit in der Lehre: eine Herausforderung für Hochschulen. Leal Filho, W. (ed.). Berlin: Springer, p. 469-486 18 p. (Theorie und Praxis der Nachhaltigkeit).

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

  6. Published

    Introduction to Thinking the Problematic: Decentring as Method and Ethos

    Leistert, O. & Schrickel, I., 06.10.2020, Thinking the problematic: genealogies and explorations between philosophy and the sciences. Leistert, O. & Schrickel, I. (eds.). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 9-34 26 p. (Philosophy).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearch

  7. Published

    Introduction to the symposium on feminist perspectives on human–nature relations

    Gottschlich, D., Mölders, T. & Padmanbhan, M., 01.12.2017, In: Agriculture and Human Values. 34, 4, p. 933-940 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Introduction to the challenges and chances regarding the utilization of nitrogen-rich by-products and waste streams

    Thielemann, A. K. & Pleissner, D., 01.06.2023, In: Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry. 41, 100813.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  9. Published

    Introduction to the Assessment - Characteristics of the Region

    Quante, M., Colijn, F., Bakker, J. P., Härdtle, W., Heinrich, H., Lefebvre, C., Nöhren, I., Olesen, J. E., Pohlmann, T., Sterr, H., Sündermann, J. & Tölle, M. H., 01.09.2016, North Sea Region Climate Change Assessment. Quante, M. & Colijn, F. (eds.). 1. ed. Cham: Springer, p. 1-52 52 p. (Regional Climate Studies).

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

  10. Published

    Introduction bias affects relationships between the characteristics of ornamental alien plants and their naturalization success

    Maurel, N., Hanspach, J., Kühn, I., Pyšek, P., van Kleunen, M. & Evans, K., 01.12.2016, In: Global Ecology and Biogeography. 25, 12, p. 1500-1509 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Recently viewed

Publications

  1. Selbsteinschätzungen zum Sozial- und Lernverhalten von Grundschulkindern der vierten Jahrgangsstufe
  2. Unterrichtshandeln von Lehrkräften und Schülern verbessern durch Förderung emotionaler Kompetenzen
  3. Efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a web-based and mobile stress-management intervention for employees
  4. Zum Verbalisierungsdilemma bei der Erfassung der situationsspezifischen Fähigkeiten von Lehrkräften.
  5. Bauteilgetrieben Montagesteuerung und Fabrikstrukturierung durch Nutzung Gentelligenter Technologie
  6. Practical critique: Bridging the gap between critical and practice oriented REDD+ research communities’
  7. Discussion Report: The Proposal for a Directive on the Single-Member Private Limited Liability Company
  8. Entwicklungsverläufe im Lesen-und Schreibenlernen in Abhängigkeit verschiedener didaktischer Konzepte
  9. Unterschiede in der Entstehung und Sicherung von Wettbewerbsvorteilen bei KMU und großen Unternehmen
  10. Die Unvereinbarkeit des österreichischen Glücksspielgesetzes mit dem Europäischen Gemeinschaftsrecht
  11. Supporting Visual and Verbal Learning Preferences in a Second-Language Multimedia Learning Environment
  12. Rapping against Old and New Nazis: Bejarano and Microphone Mafia’s Multidirectional Musical Memory Work
  13. Merkmalsextraktion und semantische Integration von Ultrabreitband-Sensoren zur Erkennung von Notfällen
  14. From Planning to Implementation: Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approaches for Collaborative Watershed Management
  15. The religious constant - The interpretation of hypotheses of the natural sciences in educational theory
  16. Konsequenzen der bankaufsichtlichen Neuregelungen bei operationellen Risiken für Genossenschaftsbanken
  17. A scale-up procedure to dialkyl carbonates; evaluation of their properties, biodegradability, and toxicity