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

    Applying the principles of green engineering to cradle-to-cradle design

    McDonough, W., Anastas, P. T., Zimmerman, J. B. & Braungart, M., 01.12.2003, In: Environmental Science & Technology. 37, 23, p. 434A-441A 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Applying the pathways to nature connectedness at a societal scale: a leverage points perspective

    Richardson, M., Dobson, J., Abson, D. J., Lumber, R., Hunt, A., Young, R. & Moorhouse, B., 01.12.2020, In: Ecosystems and People. 16, 1, p. 387-401 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Applying the energy cultures framework to understand energy systems in the context of rural sustainability transformation

    Klaniecki, K., Duse, I. A., Lutz, L. M., Leventon, J. & Abson, D. J., 02.2020, In: Energy Policy. 137, 12 p., 111092.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Applying Stakeholder Theory in Sustainability Management: Links, Similarities, Dissimilarities, and a Conceptual Framework

    Hörisch, J., Freeman, R. E. & Schaltegger, S., 19.12.2014, In: Organization & Environment. 27, 4, p. 328-346 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published
  6. Published

    Applying Place-Based Social-Ecological Research to Address Water Scarcity: Insights for Future Research

    Castro, A. J., Quintas-Soriano, C., Brandt, J., Atkinson, C. L., Baxter, C. V., Burnham, M., Egoh, B. N., Garcia-Llorente, M., Julian, J. P., Martin-López, B., Liao, F. H., Running, K., Vaughn, C. C. & Norström, A. V., 10.05.2018, In: Sustainability. 10, 5, 13 p., 1516.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Applying a capitals approach to understand rural development traps: A case study from post-socialist Romania

    Mikulcak, F., Haider, J. L., Abson, D., Newig, J. & Fischer, J., 01.02.2015, In: Land Use Policy. 43, 2, p. 248-258 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Applications of the Simultaneous Modular Approach in the Field of Material Flow Analysis

    Möller, A., 2013, Environmental Informatics and Renewable Energies: 27th International Conference on Informatics for Environmental Protection. Page, B., Fleischer, A., J. G. & Wohlgemuth, V. (eds.). 1 ed. Shaker Verlag, Vol. 1. p. 456-464 9 p.

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

  9. Published
  10. Published

    Application of the two-sample doubly labelled water method alters behaviour and affects estimates of energy expenditure in black-legged kittiwakes

    Schultner, J., Welcker, J., Speakman, J. R., Nordoy, E. S. & Gabrielsen, G. W., 01.09.2010, In: Journal of Experimental Biology. 213, 17, p. 2958-2966 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review