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

    Education for Sustainability, Graduate Capabilities, Professional Employment: How they all connect

    Thomas, I., Barth, M. & Day, T., 07.2013, In: Australian Journal of Environmental Education. 29, 1, p. 33-51 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  2. Published

    Education for a sustainable development – European Approaches

    Stoltenberg, U. & Holz, V., 2012, Education for Sustainable Development - European Approaches . Stoltenberg, U. & Holz, V. (eds.). 1 ed. Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, Vol. 7. p. 7-13 7 p. (Innovationen in den Hochschulen - Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 7).

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

  3. Published

    Education and Training

    Bäumler, J. & Schomerus, T., 23.03.2021, The Paris Agreement on Climate Change: A Commentary. Calster, G. V. & Reins, L. (eds.). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing, p. 284-301 18 p. (Elgar Commentaries series).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  4. Published

    Education and Communication as Prerequisites for and Components of Sustainable Development. Reflections for Policies, Conceptual Work, and Theory, Based on Previous Practises

    Stoltenberg, U. & Holz, V., 2011, Sustainable Development – Relationships to Culture, Knowledge and Ethics. Parodi, O., Ayestaran, I. & Banse, G. (eds.). 1 ed. Karlsruhe: KIT Scientific Publishing, p. 187-200 13 p. (Karlsruher Studien Technik und Kultur; no. 3).

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

  5. Published

    Educational Organisations as »Cultures of Consumption«: Cultural Contexts of Consumer Learning in Schools

    Fischer, D., 2011, In: European Educational Research Journal. 10, 4, p. 595-610 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Educating sustainability change agents by design: Appraisals of the transformative role of higher education

    Brundiers, K., Savage, E., Mannell, S., Lang, D. J. & Wiek, A., 2014, Palgrave Studies in Global Higher Education. Fadeeva, Z., Galkute, L., Mader, C. & Scott, G. (eds.). Palgrave Macmillan, p. 196-229 34 p. (Palgrave Studies in Global Higher Education).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  7. Published

    Educating Future Change Agents: Research instruments applied in case studies on Teacher Education for Sustainable Development

    Brandt, J.-O., Bürgener, L., Redman, A. & Barth, M., 2020, Lüneburg: Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, 45 p.

    Research output: Working paperResearch communication reportsResearch

  8. Published

    Educating for Sustainable Consumption as a Response to the Global Water Crisis: An Investigation of an Embedded Learning Approach

    Fischer, D. & Freund, E. K., 2012, Climate Change and the Sustainable Management of Water Resources. Filho, W. L. (ed.). Berlin: Springer, p. 743-759 17 p. (Climate Change Management).

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

  9. Published

    Educating Change Agents for Sustainability: Learnings from CSM’s MBA in Sustainability Management

    Hesselbarth, C. & Schaltegger, S., 2012, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 37 p.

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  10. Published

    Educating Change Agents for Sustainability: Learnings from the First Sustainability Management Master of Business Administration

    Hesselbarth, C. & Schaltegger, S., 01.01.2014, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 62, 1, p. 24-36 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review