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 novel telecoupling framework to assess social relations across spatial scales for ecosystem services research

    Martín-López, B., Felipe-Lucia, M. R., Bennett, E. M., Norström, A., Peterson, G., Plieninger, T., Hicks, C. C., Turkelboom, F., García-Llorente, M., Jacobs, S., Lavorel, S. & Locatelli, B., 01.07.2019, In: Journal of Environmental Management. 241, p. 251-263 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    A novel bioenergy feedstock in Latin America? Cultivation potential of Acrocomia aculeata under current and future climate conditions

    Plath, M., Moser, C., Bailis, R., Brandt, P., Hirsch, H., Klein, A. M., Walmsley, D. & von Wehrden, H., 01.08.2016, In: Biomass and Bioenergy. 91, p. 186-195 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    An Outcome-Oriented, Social-Ecological Framework for Assessing Protected Area Effectiveness

    Ghoddousi, A., Loos, J. & Kümmerle, T., 01.02.2022, In: BioScience / American Institute of Biological Sciences. 72, 2, p. 201-212 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    An Optimization of Salt Hydrates for Thermochemical Heat Storage

    Rammelberg, H., Myrau, M., Schmidt, T. & Ruck, W., 04.09.2013, Innovative Materials for Processes in Energy Systems 2013: Innovative Materials for Processes in Energy Systems. Shobo, T. (ed.). p. 550-555 6 p. (Chemical Science & Engineering Series; vol. 3).

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

  5. Published

    Annäherungen an ein sozial-ökologisches Raumkonzept

    Hofmeister, S. & Scurrell, B., 01.12.2006, In: GAIA. 15, 4, p. 275-284 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Anmerkung zum Urteil des EuGH v. 9. September 1999 zur Richtlinienkonformität des Umweltinformationsgesetzes

    Schomerus, T., 2000, In: ZUR - Zeitschrift für Umweltrecht. 11, 4, p. 219 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsNotes on court decisionsResearch

  7. Published

    Anmerkung zum Beschluss des OVG Münster v. 15.8.2003

    Schomerus, T., 2004, In: ZUR - Zeitschrift für Umweltrecht. 15, 1, p. 29 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsNotes on court decisionsResearch

  8. Published

    Anknüpfungspunkte für Gesundheit auf dem Campus einer Universität

    Stoltenberg, U., 2002, Agenda 21 und Universität – auch eine Frage der Gesundheit?. Paulus, P. & Stoltenberg, U. (eds.). Frankfurt/Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 50-52 3 p. (Innovationen in den Hochschulen – Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 7).

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

  9. Published

    An Introduction to Corporate Environmental Management: Striving for Sustainability

    Schaltegger, S., Burritt, R. & Petersen, H., 2003, Sheffield: Greenleaf Publishing. 384 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  10. Published

    An "intelligent product system" to replace "waste management"

    Braungart, M. & Engelfried, J., 1992, In: Fresenius Environmental Bulletin. 1, p. 613-619 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review