School of Sustainability
Organisational unit: Research School
- Centre for Sustainability Management (CSM)
- Institute of Ecology
- Institute of Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research
- Institute of Sustainability Governance
- Institute of Sustainability Material Flows and Circularity
- Institute of Sustainability Psychology
- Institute of Sustainable Chemistry
- Social-Ecological Systems Institute (SESI)
- Sustainability Education and Transdisciplinary Research Institute
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.
- Published
A process-oriented framework of competencies for sustainability entrepreneurship
Foucrier, T. & Wiek, A., 02.12.2019, In: Sustainability. 11, 24, 18 p., 7250.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Approach for detecting mutagenicity of biodegraded and ozonated pharmaceuticals, metabolites and transformation products from a drinking water perspective
Gartiser, S., Hafner, C., Kronenberger-Schäfer, K., Happel, O., Trautwein, C. & Kümmerer, K., 09.2012, In: Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 19, 8, p. 3597-3609 13 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Appraising biocultural approaches to sustainability in the scientific literature in Spanish
Díaz-Reviriego, I., Hanspach, J., Torralba, M., Ortiz-Przychodzka, S., Frias, C. B., Burke, L., García-Martín, M. & Oteros-Rozas, E., 04.2024, In: Ambio. 53, 4, p. 499-516 18 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Published
Applying the Three Horizons approach in local and regional scenarios to support policy coherence in SDG implementation: Insights from arid Spain
López-Rodríguez, M. D., Jiménez-Aceituno, A., Quintas-Soriano, C., Miguel Requena-Mullor, J., Garau, E., Alba-Patiño, D., Otamendi-Urroz, I., Aguiar, A. P. D., Cortés-Calderón, S. & Castro, A. J., 01.12.2024, In: Global Environmental Change. 89, 16 p., 102922.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- 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 contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- 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 contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- 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 contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- 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 contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Applying social-ecological system resilience principles to the context of woody vegetation management in smallholder farming landscapes of the Global South
Shumi, G., Loos, J. & Fischer, J., 05.2024, In: Ecosystems and People. 20, 1, 17 p., 2339222.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- 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 contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review