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
Transdisciplinary research in sustainability science: practice, principles, and challenges
Lang, D. J., Wiek, A., Bergmann, M., Stauffacher, M., Martens, P., Moll, P., Swilling, M. & Thomas, C. J., 02.2012, In: Sustainability Science. 7, SUPPL. 1, p. 25-43 19 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Transdisciplinary Research for Environmental Literacy: A Review of "Environmental Literacy in Science and Society. From Knowledge to Decisions" , Roland W. Scholz, Cambridge University Press
Schaltegger, S., 02.2012, In: Ecological Economics. 74, p. 177-178 2 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Critical reviews › Research
- Published
Transdisciplinary Research
Wiek, A. & Lang, D. J., 2012, The Encyclopedia of Sustainability: Measurements, Indicators, and Research Methods for Sustainability. Fogel, D., Fredericks, S., Harrington, L. & Spellerberg, I. (eds.). Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire Publishing, Vol. 6. p. 355 - 358 4 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Education › peer-review
- Published
Transdisciplinary research: Towards an integrative perspective
Lam, D. P. M., Freund, M. E., Kny, J., Marg, O., Mbah, M., Theiler, L., Bergmann, M., Brohmann, B., Lang, D. J. & Schäfer, M., 16.12.2021, In: GAIA. 30, 4, p. 243-249 7 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Submitted
Transdisciplinary Partnerships for Developing Sustainable Food Forests
Albrecht, S., Wiek, A. & Friedel, A., 2021, (Submitted) In: GAIA.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research
- Published
Transdisciplinary learning to foster sustainable development: Instituionalizing co-engaged South-North collaboration
Barth, M., Lang, D. J. & Michelsen, G., 19.12.2019, In: GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Societa. 28, 4, p. 382-385 4 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Transdisciplinary learning as a key leverage for sustainability transformations
Barth, M., Jimenez-Aceituno, A., Lam, D., Bürgener, L. & Lang, D. J., 01.10.2023, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. 64, 8 p., 101361.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Published
Transdisciplinary co-creation increases the utilization of knowledge from sustainable development research
Jacobi, J., Llanque, A., Mukhovi, S. M., Birachi, E. A., von Groote, P. M., Eschen, R., Hilber-Schöb, I., Kiba, D. I., Frossard, E. & Robledo-Abad, C., 01.03.2022, In: Environmental Science and Policy. 129, p. 107-115 9 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Transdisciplinarity in social-ecological research: Constraints, challenges and opportunities: Reflections on personal experience
Hofmeister, S., 2018, Transdisciplinary Research and Sustainability: Collaboration, Innovation and Transformation. Padmanaban, M. (ed.). 1 ed. London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 66-82 17 p. ( Routledge Studies in Environment, Culture and Society).Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research
- Published
Transdisciplinarity in Corporate Sustainability: Call for Papers
Schaltegger, S. (Editor), Beckmann, M. (Editor) & Hansen, E. G. (Editor), 07.2011, In: Business Strategy and the Environment. 20, 5, p. 348-350 3 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Other (editorial matter etc.) › Research