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

    From Basic Ecology to the Challenges of Modern Society: Book of Abstracts

    Drees, C. (Editor) & Oheimb, G. (Editor), 2012, Berlin: Gesellschaft für Ökologie. 331 p. (Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft für Ökologie; vol. 42)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesConference proceedingsResearch

  2. Published

    From a problem to a business opportunity-design of pharmaceuticals for environmental biodegradability

    Kümmerer, K., 06.2019, In: Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy. 12, 4 p., 100136.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Friede den Völkern: Nachhaltigkeit als interkultureller Prozess. Festschrift für Udo. E. Simonis.

    Altner, G. (Editor) & Michelsen, G. (Editor), 2003, Frankfurt am Main: Verlag für Akademische Schriften. 226 p. (Innovation in den Hochschulen: Nachhaltige Entwickliung; vol. Sonderband)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  4. Published

    Fridays for Future aus nachhaltigkeitswissenschaftlicher Perspektive

    von Wehrden, H., Kater-Wettstaedt, L. & Schneidewind, U., 18.10.2019, In: GAIA. 28, 3, p. 307-309 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Freundschaft und Peer-Beziehungen

    von Salisch, M. & Schäfer, M., 2013, In: Praxis der Kinderpsychologie und Kinderpsychiatrie. 62, 3, p. 169-170 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  6. Published

    Freundschaften und ihre Folgen

    Salisch, M., 2007, Handbuch der Entwicklungspsychologie. Hasselhorn, M., Schneider, W. & Bengel, J. (eds.). Göttingen [u.a.]: Hogrefe Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, (Handbuch der Psychologie; vol. 7).

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

  7. Published

    Freundschaft als Resilienzfaktor

    Salisch, M., 05.2020, Was Kinder stärkt.: Erziehung zwischen Risiko und Resilienz. Fingerle, M., Opp, G. & Suess, G. (eds.). 4. Auflage ed. München: Ernst Reinhardt Verlag, p. 194-201 8 p.

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

  8. Published

    Freiwilligkeit und Zwang: Einführung in den Schwerpunkt

    Plewig, H.-J., 2007, In: Zeitschrift für Jugendkriminalrecht und Jugendhilfe. 18, 4, p. 356-357 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  9. Published
  10. Published

    “ Freiheit, die ich meine": Ist Freiheit ein zeitloser Wert?

    Oermann, N. O., 2016, Freiheit und Gemeinwohl: ewige Gegensätze oder zwei Seiten einer Medaille?. Papier, H.-J. & Meynhardt, T. (eds.). Berlin: Tempus Corporate GmbH, p. 71-86 16 p.

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