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

    A synthesis for everyone: 5 years of work in Romania

    Fischer, J., 16.03.2016

    Research output: other publicationsArticles in scientific forums or blogsResearch

  2. Published

    A sustainable chemistry solution to the presence of pharmaceuticals and chemicals in the aquatic environment-the example of re-designing β-blocker Atenolol

    Rastogi, T., Leder, C. & Kummerer, K., 2015, In: RSC Advances. 5, 1, p. 27-32 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    A Sustainability Agenda for Tropical Marine Science

    Partelow, S., Schlüter, A., von Wehrden, H., Jänig, M. & Senff, P., 01.01.2018, In: Conservation Letters. 11, 1, 15 p., e12351.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  4. Published

    A survey of commercial cattle farmers in semi-arid rangelands in Namibia on risk, sustainability and management

    Olbrich, R., Quaas, M. F. & Baumgärtner, S., 2012, In: Journal of Contextual Economics (JCE) - Schmollers Jahrbuch. 132, 3, p. 463-471 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    A suite of multiplexed microsatellite loci for the ground beetle Abax parallelepipedus (Piller and Mitterpacher, 1783) (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

    Marcus, T., Assmann, T., Durka, W. & Drees, C., 12.2013, In: Conservation Genetics Resources. 5, 4, p. 1151-1156 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published
  7. Published

    A sticky affair: resin collection by Bornean stingless bees

    Leonhardt, S. & Blüthgen, N., 11.2009, In: Biotropica. 41, 6, p. 730-736 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    A stakeholder theory perspective on business models: Value creation for sustainability

    Freudenreich, B., Lüdeke-Freund, F. & Schaltegger, S., 01.09.2020, In: Journal of Business Ethics. 166, 1, p. 3-18 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Asset Management: ethische Aspekte gewinnen an Gewicht

    Figge, F., 2001, In: Die Bank. 9, p. 610-613 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  10. Published

    Assessment of upstream bioprocessing

    Pleißner, D., 01.07.2019, In: 3 Biotech. 9, 7, 7 p., 260.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review