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

    Human-carnivore relations: Conflicts, tolerance and coexistence in the American West

    Expósito-Granados, M., Castro, A. J., Lozano, J., Aznar-Sanchez, J. A., Carter, N. H., Requena-Mullor, J. M., Malo, A. F., Olszańska, A., Morales-Reyes, Z., Moleón, M., Sánchez-Zapata, J. A., Cortés-Avizanda, A., Fischer, J. & Martín-López, B., 06.12.2019, In: Environmental Research Letters. 14, 12, 14 p., 123005.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  2. Published

    Human-carnivore coexistence in a traditional rural landscape

    Dorresteijn, I., Hanspach, J., Kecskés, A., Latková, H., Mezey, Z., Sugár, S., von Wehrden, H. & Fischer, J., 08.2014, In: Landscape Ecology. 29, 7, p. 1145-1155 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Human behavior and sustainability

    Fischer, J., Dyball, R., Fazey, I., Gross, C., Dovers, S., Ehrlich, P. R., Brulle, R., Christensen, C. & Borden, R., 04.2012, In: Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 10, 3, p. 153-160 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  4. Published

    Human and veterinary drugs in the environment

    Rastogi, T., Ahmed, W. M. M. M. & Kümmerer, K., 01.01.2017, Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene. Elsevier B.V., Vol. 1-5. p. 263-268 6 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticles for encyclopediaResearch

  5. Published

    HPLC/MS/MS in der wasseranalytik: Iodierte Röntgenkontrastmittel in oberflächen-, grund- und trinkwasser

    Seitz, W., Weber, W. H., Flottmann, D. & Schulz, W., 2004, In: CLB Chemie in Labor und Biotechnik. 55, 12, p. 456-460 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    HPLC and chemometrics-assisted UV-spectroscopy methods for the simultaneous determination of ambroxol and doxycycline in capsule.

    Hadad, G. M., El-Gindy, A. & Mahmoud, W. M. M., 08.2008, In: Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy. 70, 3, p. 655-663 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  7. E-pub ahead of print

    How, when and why do negotiators use reference points? A qualitative interview study with negotiation practitioners

    Mann, M., Trötschel, R., Warsitzka, M. & Hüffmeier, J., 20.03.2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: International Journal of Conflict Management. 33 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    How to specify the structure of substituted blade-like zigzag diamondoids

    Balaban, A. T. & Rücker, C., 09.2013, In: Central European Journal of Chemistry. 11, 9, p. 1423-1430 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published
  10. Published

    How to promote spider diversity of heathlands: impact of management intensity

    Matevski, D., Temperton, V. M., Walmsley, D., Haerdtle, W., Daniels, J. & Boutaud, E., 04.2025, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 34, p. 1057-1070 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review