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

    Activating an Integrative Mindset Improves the Subjective Outcomes of Value-Driven Conflicts

    Schuster, C., Harinck, F. & Trötschel, R., 01.02.2023, In: Negotiation and Conflict Management Research. 16, 1, p. 80-99 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Action research in science education: an analytical review of the literature

    Laudonia, I., Mamlok-Naaman, R., Abels, S. & Eilks, I., 27.05.2018, In: Educational Action Research. 26, 3, p. 480-495 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Action, research and participation: roles of researchers in sustainability transitions

    Wittmayer, J. M. & Schäpke, N., 24.10.2014, In: Sustainability Science. 9, 4, p. 483-496 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    A cross-scale assessment of productivity–diversity relationships

    Craven, D., van der Sande, M. T., Meyer, C., Gerstner, K., Bennett, J. M., Giling, D. P., Hines, J., Phillips, H. R. P., May, F., Bannar-Martin, K. H., Chase, J. M. & Keil, P., 01.11.2020, In: Global Ecology and Biogeography. 29, 11, p. 1940-1955 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    A critical review of policies and legislation protecting Tanzanian wetlands

    Materu, S. F., Urban, B. & Heise, S., 02.12.2018, In: Ecosystem Health and Sustainability. 4, 12, p. 310-320 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  6. Published

    A critical analysis of the policy potential for sustainable agriculture in India

    Chauhan, N. & von Wehrden, H., 12.2025, In: Discover Sustainability. 6, 1, 13 p., 233.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  7. Published

    A continental-scale analysis of feral cat diet in Australia

    Doherty, T. S., Davis, R. A., van Etten, E. J. B., Algar, D., Collier, N., Dickman, C. R., Edwards, G., Masters, P., Palmer, R. & Robinson, S., 01.05.2015, In: Journal of Biogeography. 42, 5, p. 964-975 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    A Conceptual Structure of Justice - Providing a Tool to Analyse Conceptions of Justice

    Stumpf, K. H., Becker, C. U. & Baumgaertner, S., 01.11.2016, In: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice . 19, 5, p. 1187-1202 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    A Computational Research System for the History of Science

    Damerow, J., Peirson, E. & Laubichler, M. D., 2019, Culture and Cognition: Essays in Honor of Peter Damerow. Renn, J. & Schemmel, M. (eds.). Berlin: Edition Open Access, Vol. 11. p. 245-255 11 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearch

  10. Published

    A comprehensive method for determination of fatty acids in the initial oral biofilm (pellicle)

    Reich, M., Hannig, C., Al-Ahmad, A., Bolek, R. & Kuemmerer, K., 01.10.2012, In: Journal of Lipid Research. 53, 10, p. 2226-2230 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review