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

    Reconceptualizing the role of socioeconomic material stocks in the leverage points framework to enable transformative change

    Haas, W., Abson, D. J., Haberl, H., Spittler, N., Wiedenhofer, D. & Dorninger, C., 01.2026, In: Ecological Economics. 239, 9 p., 108759.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. E-pub ahead of print

    Revisiting Ego Depletion: Evidence from Multi-Lab Collaborations

    Dang, J., Xiao, S., Mao, L., Liu, X., Baumert, A., Bonneterre, S., Cai, S., Chen, X., de Chanaleilles, M., Ding, N., Fan, W., Feng, Y., Gao, D., He, X., Huang, W., Ismail, I., Jia, L., Li, H., Li, R., Li, Z., Lim, C., Linke, L., Nie, Y., Qiao, Z., Ren, M., Sevincer, A. T., Tan, J., Wang, Z., Wu, S., Zerhouni, O., Zhong, Y., Zhu, Y., Zinkernagel, A. & Schiöth, H. B., 16.10.2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology. 19, 10 p., 18344909251386084.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Accepted/In press

    Five Frontiers for Science and Practice of Ecosystem Restoration in East African Forest Landscapes

    Duguma, D. W., Löhr, K., Temperton, V. M., Apollinaire, W., Baumann, M., Kaplin, B. A., Nyiramvuyekure, V., Vögele, S., Kmoch, L., Plieninger, T., Loos, J., Aime, T., Beatrice, N., Bohn, S., Ernest, U., Frietsch, M., Gatali, C., Innocent, N., Kangondo, A., Franklin, B., Maniraho, L., Martín-López, B., Mukaneza, D., Ndagijimana, V., Ndayizeye, G., Nizeyimana, M., Nyandwi, E., Nzibaza, V., Sieber, S., Sun, P., Ullman, J. L., Umuziranenge, G., Wollni, M. & Fischer, J., 16.10.2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Integrative Conservation.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Accepted/In press

    A multi-layered values-based approach to advance social-ecological restoration: Insights from real-world laboratories in Germany

    Gray, K., Loos, J., Martín-López, B., Riechers, M., Kirmer, A. & Cebrián-Piqueras, M., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Ambio.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Accepted/In press

    Towards Authentic Engagement with Indigenous Peoples: Lessons from Negotiated Agreements in the Pilbara, Western Australia

    Benkert, J., Eversole, R. & Dembek, K., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Business and Society. 32 p., 00076503251376892.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    It takes two to tango - how teacher-child interactions help advance children’s emotion knowledge

    Hormann, O., Voltmer, K. & von Salisch, M., 25.09.2025, In: Frontiers in Psychology. 16, 15 p., 1622163.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Successful water governance pathways across problem contexts: a global qualitative comparative analysis

    Bilalova, S., Jager, N. W., Newig, J. & Villamayor-Tomas, S., 10.2025, In: Ecology and Society. 30, 4, 36 p., 2.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Accepted/In press

    Disentangling the influence of environmental conditions on sex determination in haplodiploid organisms

    Wittmann, K., Klein, A. M., Pichler, M. & Staab, M., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Journal of Animal Ecology.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Accepted/In press

    Participatory mapping of local people's values in restoration landscapes in Western Rwanda

    Ndayizeye, G., Kmoch, L., Baumann, M., Nsengimana, V., Fischer, J. & Plieninger, T., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Restoration Ecology. 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Broadening the Justifications for Inclusive Conservation: Values Associated With Nature's Contributions to People

    Gross, M., von Wehrden, H., Mwampamba, T. H., Sanya, J., Pearson, J., Sesabo, J. K., Riechers, M., Arbieu, U., Böhning-Gaese, K. & Martín-López, B., 01.09.2025, In: Conservation Letters. 18, 5, 8 p., e13129.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

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