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

    From grief to hope in conservation

    Fischer, J. & Riechers, M., 10.2021, In: Conservation Biology. 35, 5, p. 1698-1700 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  2. Published

    Happy just because. A cross-cultural study on subjective wellbeing in three Indigenous societies

    Reyes-Garcia, V., Gallois, S., Pyhala, A., Diaz-Reviriego, I., Fernandez-Llamazares, A., Galbraith, E., Miñarro, S. & Napitupulu, L., 13.05.2021, In: PLoS ONE. 16, 5, 16 p., e0251551.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Life cycle assessment of hetero- and phototrophic as well as combined cultivations of Galdieria sulphuraria

    Thielemann, A. K., Smetana, S. & Pleissner, D., 01.09.2021, In: Bioresource Technology. 335, 7 p., 125227.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Assessing nature-based solutions for transformative change

    Palomo, I., Locatelli, B., Otero, I., Colloff, M. J., Crouzat, E., Cuni-Sanchez, A., Gómez-Baggethun, E., González-García, A., Grêt-Regamey, A., Jiménez-Aceituno, A., Martín-López, B., Pascual, U., Zafra-Calvo, N., Bruley, E., Fischborn, M., Metz, R. & Lavorel, S., 21.05.2021, In: One Earth. 4, 5, p. 730-741 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Leverage points for sustainability transformations: nine guiding questions for sustainability science and practice

    Leventon, J., Abson, D. J. & Lang, D. J., 05.2021, In: Sustainability Science. 16, 3, p. 721-726 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  6. Published

    Energy conservation attitudes and intentions: investigating place attachment in Eastern Transylvania, Romania

    Klaniecki, K., Duse, I. A., Engler, J. O., Leventon, J. & Abson, D. J., 05.05.2021, In: Psyecology. 12, 2, p. 177-201 25 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Teachers' beliefs about and dispositions towards Inquiry-based Science Education

    Hofer, E., Koliander, B. & Puddu, S., 2021, Project-based Education and other activating Strategies in Science Education XVIII. : Conference Proceedings. Rusek, M., Tothova, M. & Vojir, K. (eds.). Prague: Charles University, Prague, p. 16-25 10 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Key advantages of the leverage points perspective to shape human-nature relations

    Riechers, M., Loos, J., Balázsi, Á., García-Llorente, M., Bieling, C., Burgos-Ayala, A., Chakroun, L., Mattijssen, T. J. M., Muhr, M. M., Pérez-Ramírez, I., Raatikainen, K. J., Rana, S., Richardson, M., Rosengren, L. & West, S., 25.04.2021, In: Ecosystems and People. 17, 1, p. 205-214 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Biophysical variability and politico-economic singularity: Responses of livestock numbers in South Mongolian nomadic pastoralism

    Engler, J. O., Wesche, K., Kaczensky, P., Dhakal, P., Chuluunkhuyag, O. & von Wehrden, H., 01.09.2021, In: Ecological Economics. 187, 13 p., 107073.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Aquatic and terrestrial proxy evidence for Middle Pleistocene palaeolake and lake-shore development at two Lower Palaeolithic sites of Schöningen, Germany

    Krahn, K. J., Tucci, M., Urban, B., Pilgrim, J., Frenzel, P., Soulié-Märsche, I. & Schwalb, A., 07.2021, In: Boreas. 50, 3, p. 723-745 23 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review