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

    Degradation of 5-FU by means of advanced (photo)oxidation processes: UV/H2O2, UV/Fe(2+)/H2O2 and UV/TiO2 - Comparison of transformation products, ready biodegradability and toxicity

    Lutterbeck, C. A., Wilde, M. L., Baginska, E., Leder, C., Machado, Ê. L. & Kümmerer, K., 15.09.2015, In: The Science of The Total Environment. 527-528, p. 232-245 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Degradation and elimination of anticancer drugs by water and wastewater treatment - toxicity and biodegradability before and after the treatment

    Lutterbeck, C. A., Machado, Ê. L. & Kümmerer, K., 01.01.2020, Fate and Effects of Anticancer Drugs in the Environment. Heath, E., Isidori, M., Kosjek, T. & Filipic, M. (eds.). Cham: Springer International Publishing, p. 139-168 30 p.

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

  3. Published

    Defining sustainable chemistry-an opportune exercise?

    Zuin Zeidler, V. G., 13.10.2023, In: Science. 382, 6667, eadk7430.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Defining greener, healthier and more sustainable toys: A case study of L.O.L. Surprise!

    Fachina, S., Araripe, E. & Zeidler, V. G. Z., 01.10.2024, In: Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy. 41, 10 p., 101661.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Defining and reorienting competencies for sustainable global change

    Barth, M. & Drovandi, A., 2009, World in Transition: Sustainability Perspectives for Higher Education. Adomssent, M., Beringer, A. & Barth, M. (eds.). Bad Homburg v. d. Höhe: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 64-65 2 p. (Higher education for sustainability; no. 4).

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

  6. Published

    Defining and Conceptualizing Impact Investing: Attractive Nuisance or Catalyst?

    Hockerts, K., Hehenberger, L., Schaltegger, S. & Farber, V., 01.09.2022, In: Journal of Business Ethics. 179, 4, p. 937-950 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published
  8. Published

    Deficits in EU and US mandatory environmental information disclosure: Legal, comparative legal and economic facets of pollutant release invent.

    Bünger, D., 01.01.2012, Berlin: Springer Verlag. 487 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  9. E-pub ahead of print

    Defeminizing Sustainability: How to Boost Men’s Motivation for Proenvironmental Behavior

    Hällfritzsch, M., Volpi, L., Daniel, K. G., Somogyi, C., Kause, A., Reese, G. & Loschelder, D. D., 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Motivation Science.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Deeper Insights into Different Consumer Perceptions of CSR Communication: Germany vs. United States vs. China

    Batt, V., Bögel, P. M., Bekmeier-Feuerhahn, S. & Cotton-Chan, V. Y. K., 2018, 47th European Marketing Academy 2018 Conference Proceedings: People Make Marketing. Spiros, G., Matthew, A., Kathy, H., Maria, K. & Ewelina, L. (eds.). Brussels ; Stockholm: European Marketing Academy, p. 1-7 7 p.

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