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

    “First come, first served" or “the more, the merrier"? Organizational dynamics of citizen-led solar initiatives and the presence of photovoltaic installations in Germany

    Mueller, L., Marcroft, T. P., von Beck, C., Zeiss, J. P., Schwanitz, V. J., Wierling, A. & Holstenkamp, L., 10.04.2024, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 449, 11 p., 141861.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    First automatic size measurements for the separation of dwarf birch and tree birch pollen in MIS 6 to MIS 1 records from Northern Germany

    Theuerkauf, M., Nehring, E., Gillert, A., Bodien, P. M., Hein, M. & Urban, B., 01.06.2024, In: Ecology and Evolution. 14, 6, 17 p., e11510.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published
  4. Published

    Fire and landscape context shape plant and butterfly diversity in a South African shrubland

    Topp, E. N., Tscharntke, T. & Loos, J., 01.03.2022, In: Diversity and Distributions. 28, 3, p. 357-371 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Finnish Pipunculidae (Diptera) studies Part I: Taxonomic notes on Cephalops Fallén, 1810, Pipunculus Latreille, 1802 and Tomosvaryella Aczél, 1939

    Kehlmaier, C., 04.01.2008, In: Zootaxa. 1672, 1, p. 1-42 42 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Fingerprint analysis of brominated flame retardants and Dechloranes in North Sea sediments

    Sühring, R., Barber, J. L., Wolschke, H., Kötke, D. & Ebinghaus, R., 01.07.2015, In: Environmental Research. 140, p. 569-578 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Finding the Best Match — a Case Study on the (Text‑) Feature and Model Choice in Digital Mental Health Interventions

    Zantvoort, K., Scharfenberger, J., Boß, L., Lehr, D. & Funk, B., 12.2023, In: Journal of Healthcare Informatics Research. 7, 4, p. 447-479 33 p., 00148.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published
  9. Published

    Finanzmarktorientiertes Umweltmanagement

    Schaltegger, S. & Figge, F., 2000, Wirtschaftswissenschaften. Schaltegger, S. (ed.). Berlin: Springer, p. 149-167 19 p. (Studium der Umweltwissenschaften).

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

  10. Published

    Finanzmärkte – Treiber oder Bremser des betrieblichen Umweltmanagements

    Schaltegger, S. & Figge, F., 01.01.1999, Betriebliches Umweltmanagement im 21. Jahrhundert: Aspekte, Aufgaben, Perspektiven. Seidel, E. (ed.). Berlin: Springer, p. 287-299 13 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapter