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

    Fördert die Ganztagsschule die Entwicklung sozialer und emotionaler Kompetenzen bei Jugendlichen?

    Kanevski, R. & von Salisch, M., 2011, In: Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft. 14, Supplement 3, p. 237-259 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Förderregelungen für erneuerbare Energien im Lichte des europäischen Wirtschaftsrechts

    Witthohn, A., 2005, Berlin: Berliner Wissenschafts-Verlag. 312 p. (Umweltrecht und Umweltpolitik; vol. 16)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  3. Published

    Forbidden love“ – narratives of love, belonging and deviance in adolescence

    Offen, S., 03.2011, GEXcel Work in Progress Report: Proceedings from GEXcel Theme 10 : Love in Our Time - A Question For Feminism Conference of Workshops 2-4 December 2010. Strid, S. & Jonasdottir, A. G. (eds.). GEXcel, Vol. IX. p. 65-69 5 p. (Tema Genus Report Series; no. 9)(CFS Report Series; no. 15).

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

  4. Published

    Forb diversity globally is harmed by nutrient enrichment but can be rescued by large mammalian herbivory

    Nelson, R. A., Sullivan, L. L., Hersch-Green, E. I., Seabloom, E. W., Borer, E. T., Tognetti, P. M., Adler, P. B., Biederman, L., Bugalho, M. N., Caldeira, M. C., Cancela, J. P., Carvalheiro, L. G., Catford, J. A., Dickman, C. R., Dolezal, A. J., Donohue, I., Ebeling, A., Eisenhauer, N., Elgersma, K. J., Eskelinen, A., Estrada, C., Garbowski, M., Graff, P., Gruner, D. S., Hagenah, N., Haider, S., Harpole, W. S., Hautier, Y., Jentsch, A., Johanson, N., Koerner, S. E., Lannes, L. S., MacDougall, A. S., Martinson, H., Morgan, J. W., Olde Venterink, H., Orr, D., Osborne, B. B., Peri, P. L., Power, S. A., Raynaud, X., Risch, A. C., Shrestha, M., Smith, N. G., Stevens, C. J., Veen, G. F. C., Virtanen, R., Wardle, G. M., Wolf, A. A., Young, A. L. & Harrison, S. P., 12.2025, In: Communications Biology. 8, 1, 10 p., 444.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Foraging wireworms are attracted to root-produced volatile aldehydes

    Barsics, F., Delory, B. M., Delaplace, P., Francis, F., Fauconnier, M. L., Haubruge, É. & Verheggen, F. J., 01.02.2017, In: Journal of Pest Science. 90, 1, p. 69-76 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Foraging loads of stingless bees and utilisation of stored nectar for pollen harvesting

    Leonhardt, S., Dworschak, K., Eltz, T. & Blüthgen, N., 2007, In: Apidologie. 38, 2, p. 125-135 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Food waste as nutrient source in heterotrophic microalgae cultivation

    Pleissner, D., Lam, W. C., Sun, Z. & Lin, C. S. K., 06.2013, In: Bioresource Technology. 137, p. 139-146 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Food waste and manure

    Lin, C. S. K., Ashokkumar, M., Kaur, G., Li, C., Li, X., Ong, K. L. & Pleissner, D., 01.01.2020, Handbook on Characterization of Biomass, Biowaste and Related By-products. Nzihou, A. (ed.). Cham: Springer Schweiz, p. 899-938 40 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  9. Published

    Food Security, Women, and Higher Education in Aceh

    Shamadiyah, N. & Amalia, N., 17.12.2022, In: Proceedings of Malikussaleh International Conference on Multidisciplinary Studies (MICoMS). 3, 6 p., 00053.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference article in journalResearch

  10. Published

    Food poverty as a barrier for a healthy and climate-friendly nutrition in Austria

    Lampl, C., Schmidt, A. & Aigner, E., 28.10.2024, In: European Journal of Public Health. 34, SP_3, p. 317-317 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference abstract in journalResearchpeer-review