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

    Determinants of farm size and stocking rate in Namibian commercial cattle farming

    Engler, J.-O., Wehrden, H. & Baumgärtner, S., 01.02.2019, In: Land Use Policy. 81, p. 232-246 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Biotechnological production of organic acids from renewable resources

    Pleissner, D., Dietz, D., Duuren, J., Wittmann, C., Yang, X., Lin, C. S. K. & Venus, J., 01.01.2019, Biorefineries. Wagemann, K. & Tippkötter, N. (eds.). CHAM: Springer Verlag, Vol. 166. p. 373-410 38 p. (Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology; vol. 166).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  3. Published

    The sustainability balanced scorecard: An introduction to the SBSC and its links to accounting and reporting

    Lüdeke-Freund, F. & Schaltegger, S., 2019, Measuring and controlling sustainability: Spanning Theory and Practice. Lindgreen, A., Vallaster, C., Yousafzai, S. & Hirsch, B. (eds.). London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 33-53 21 p. (A Gower book).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  4. Published

    Illusio Fachkräftemangel: Der Zwischenraum von Bildung und Wirtschaft in Deutschland und Nordkalifornien

    Herberg, J., 03.2018, Wiesbaden: Springer VS. 612 p. (Politische Soziologie)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesBook

  5. Published

    Kollaborative Kurzfilmproduktion als innovativer Ansatz in der Hochschulbildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung an der Leuphana Universität Lüneburg

    Altekruse, J., Fischer, D. & Ruckelshauß, T., 2018, Nachhaltigkeit in der Lehre: Eine Herausforderung für Hochschulen. Leal Filho, W. (ed.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Verlag, p. 369-385 17 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapter

  6. Published

    DECODING SUSTAINABILITY IN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. TEACHING STUDENTS HOW TO PROBLEMATIZE COMPLEX CONCEPTS

    Fischer, M., 26.10.2018, In: RISUS-JOURNAL ON INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY. 9, 3, p. 149-159 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Droege, Peter; Knieling, Jörg (Hrsg.) (2017): Regenerative Räume. Leitbilder und Praktiken nachhaltiger Raumentwicklung

    Heilmann, S., 30.06.2018, In: Raumforschung und Raumordnung. 76, 3, p. 271-273 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsCritical reviewsResearch

  8. Published

    How to Integrate Refugees Into the Workforce - Different Opportunities for (Social) Entrepreneurship

    Freudenberg, J. & Halberstadt, J., 30.07.2018, In: Problemy zarządzania - Management issues. 16, 1, p. 40-60 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published
  10. Published

    Inter- and intraspecific consumer trait variations determine consumer diversity effects in multispecies predator−prey systems

    Flöder, S., Bromann, L. & Moorthi, S., 16.05.2018, In: Aquatic Microbial Ecology. 81, 3, p. 243-256 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review