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
Herausforderungen der Nachhaltigkeitstransformation mit Methoden der Gamification begegnen – Mobile Escape Rooms als Resonanzräume spielerisch-transformativen Lernens
Hantke, H., 2025, Innovative Ansätze für die Nachhaltigkeitslehre in der Hochschulbildung. Leal, W. (ed.).Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Education › peer-review
- Accepted/In press
Umgang mit Ambiguitäten im Kontext nachhaltiger Entwicklung – Empirische Einblicke in Lehr-Lern-Prozesse von Schüler:innen
Hantke, H., 2025, (Accepted/In press) Transformationen der Arbeit – Herausforderung für sozioökonomische Forschung, Bildung und Lehre?. Hagedorn, U. (ed.).Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research › peer-review
- Accepted/In press
Responsiv-transformative Weltbeziehungen – Resonanz als Anspruch einer nachhaltigkeitsbezogenen Bildung
Hantke, H. & Lorch, A., 2025, (Accepted/In press) Handbuch Resonanz. Beljan, J. (ed.).Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Transfer › peer-review
- Published
Education for Sustainable Consumption
Schrader, U. & Fischer, D., 2025, Vocabulary for Sustainable Consumption and Lifestyles: A Language for Our Common Future. Taylor and Francis Inc., p. 257-260 4 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Chapter › peer-review
- E-pub ahead of print
The iceberg of science identity: structural inequalities in science-related practices and dispositions
Nascimento, M. & Markic, S., 25.06.2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: International Journal of Science Education. p. 1–18Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Accepted/In press
Navigating across individual and deliberative values: A dual Q-method approach to elicit diverse values in grassland restoration
Cebrián-Piqueras, M. A., Gray, K., Kuhn, L., Loos, J., Pătru-Dușe, I. A., Riechers, M., Temperton, V. & Martín-López, B., 02.10.2025, (Accepted/In press) In: People and Nature. 18 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- E-pub ahead of print
Knowledge Cumulation in Environmental Governance Research
Rose, M., Newig, J. & Leipold, S., 04.11.2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Environmental Policy and Governance. p. 1-8 8 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- 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 contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- E-pub ahead of print
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, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Integrative Conservation. 12 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- 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 contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review