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

    Effects of forest management on species diversity of vascular plants in northern Germany

    Oheimb, G., Ellenberg, H. & Kriebitzsch, W.-U., 2001, Funktionelle Bedeutung von Biodiversität: Kurzfassungen der Beiträge zur 31. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Ökologie in Basel vom 27.-31.8.2001. Zotz, G. & Körner, C. (eds.). Berlin: Parey Verlag , Vol. 31. p. 101 1 p. (Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft für Ökologie; vol. 31).

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

  2. Published

    Effects of forest management intensity on herb layer plant diversity and composition of deciduous forest communities in Northern Germany

    Petzold, J., Dittrich, S., Fichtner, A., Härdtle, W., Naumann, B. & von Oheimb, G., 01.08.2018, In: Tuexenia. 38, p. 79-96 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Effects of elevated growth temperature and enhanced atmospheric vapour pressure deficit on needle and root terpenoid contents of two Douglas fir provenances

    Duan, Q., Kleiber, A., Jansen, K., Junker, L. V., Kammerer, B., Han, G., Zimmer, I., Rennenberg, H., Schnitzler, J. P., Ensminger, I., Gessler, A. & Kreuzwieser, J. F., 01.10.2019, In: Environmental and Experimental Botany. 166, 103819.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Effects of biodiversity strengthen over time as ecosystem functioning declines at low and increases at high biodiversity

    Meyer, S. T., Ebeling, A., Eisenhauer, N., Hertzog, L., Hillebrand, H., Milcu, A., Pompe, S., Abbas, M., Bessler, H., Buchmann, N., De Luca, E., Engels, C., Fischer, M., Gleixner, G., Hudewenz, A., Klein, A.-M., de Kroon, H., Leimer, S., Loranger, H., Mommer, L., Oelmann, Y., Ravenek, J. M., Roscher, C., Rottstock, T., Scherber, D. C., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Scheu, S., Schmid, B., Schulze, E.-D., Staudler, A., Strecker, T., Temperton, V. M., Tscharntke, T., Vogel, A., Voigt, W., Weigelt, A., Wilcke, W. & Weisser, W. W., 01.12.2016, In: Ecosphere - An esa open access journal. 7 , 12, 14 p., 1619.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Effects of anthropogenic disturbances on soil microbial communities in oak forests persist for more than 100 years

    Fichtner, A., Oheimb, G., Härdtle, W., Wilken, C. & Gutknecht, J., 03.2014, In: Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 70, p. 79-87 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Effects of an Educational Scenario Exercise on Participants' Competencies of Systemic Thinking

    Burandt, S., 2011, In: Journal of Social Science. 7, 1, p. 51-62 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Effect of safflower oil on the protective properties of the in situ formed salivary pellicle

    Hannig, C., Wagenschwanz, C., Pötschke, S., Kümmerer, K., Kensche, A., Hoth-Hannig, W. & Hannig, M., 08.2012, In: Caries Research. 46, 5, p. 496-506 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Effect of Planning for Connectivity on Linear Reserve Networks

    Lentini, P. E., Gibbons, P., Carwardine, J., Fischer, J., Drielsma, M. & Martin, T. G., 08.2013, In: Conservation Biology. 27, 4, p. 796-807 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Effect of a Web-Based Guided Self-help Intervention for Prevention of Major Depression in Adults With Subthreshold Depression A Randomized Clinical Trial

    Buntrock, C., Ebert, D. D., Lehr, D., Smit, F., Riper, H., Berking, M. & Cuijpers, P., 03.05.2016, In: JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association. 315, 17, p. 1854-1863 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Effect of a Web-Based Guided Self-Help Intervention for Prevention of Major Depression in Adults with Subthreshold Depression: A Randomized Clinical Trial

    Buntrock, C., Ebert, D. D., Lehr, D., Smit, F., Riper, H., Berking, M. & Cuijpers, P., 01.09.2016, In: Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey. 71, 9, p. 526-527 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review