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

    Current Trends in Environmental Cost Accounting - and its Interaction with Eco-Efficiency Performance Measurement and Indicators

    Schaltegger, S. & Wagner, M., 2005, Implementing environmental management accounting: Status and Challenges . Rikhardsson, P. M., Bennett, M., Bouma, J. J. & Schaltegger, S. (eds.). Springer, p. 45-62 18 p. (Eco-Efficiency in Industry and Science; vol. 18).

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

  2. Published

    Current Status of CSR in the Realm of Supply Management: the Case of the Korean Electronics Industry

    Lee, K.-H. & Kim, J.-W., 13.03.2009, In: Supply Chain Management. 14, 2, p. 138-148 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Current practice of assessing students' sustainability competencies: a review of tools

    Redman, A., Wiek, A. & Barth, M., 01.01.2021, In: Sustainability Science. 16, 1, p. 117-135 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  4. Published

    Current overview of research on priority effects and its relevance to restoration

    Weidlich, E. W. A., Nelson, C. R. & Temperton, V. M., 2017, Linking Science and Practise for a Better World: Book of Abstracts; VII World Conference on Ecological Restoration. Durigan, G. (ed.). Sociedad Ibero Americana y der Caribe de Restauracion Ecologica, p. 215 1 p.

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

  5. Published

    Current and New Research Perspectives on Dynamic Facial Emotion Detection in Emotional Interface

    Tews, T.-K., Oehl, M., Faasch, H. & Kanno, T., 2014, Human-Computer Interaction: Advanced Interaction Modalities and Techniques - 16th International Conference, HCI International 2014, Proceedings. Kurosu, M. (ed.). PART 2 ed. Springer, Vol. 2. p. 779-787 9 p. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics); vol. 8511 LNCS, no. PART 2).

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

  6. Published

    Cumulating evidence in environmental governance, policy and planning research: towards a research reform agenda

    Newig, J. & Rose, M., 02.09.2020, In: Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning. 22, 5, p. 667-681 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Culture in sustainable urban development: Practices and policies for spaces of possibility and institutional innovations

    Kagan, S., Hauerwaas, A., Holz, V. & Wedler, P., 01.06.2018, In: City, Culture, and Society. 13, p. 32-45 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    CULTURAL TENSIONS AND VALUES-ACTION GAPS IN SUSTAINABILITY-ORIENTED INNOVATION: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC INQUIRY

    Breuer, H. & Ivanov, K., 01.02.2024, In: International Journal of Innovation Management. 28, 1-2, 31 p., 2450005.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Cultural Practices, Norms, and Values

    Frese, M., 01.11.2015, In: Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. 46, 10, p. 1327-1330 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Cultural ecosystem services provided by urban green change along an urban-periurban gradient

    Riechers, M., Strack, M., Barkmann, J. & Tscharntke, T., 26.01.2019, In: Sustainability. 11, 3, 10 p., 645.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review