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

    Effects of forest management intensity on herb layer plant diversity and composition of deciduous forest communities in Northern Germany

    Petzold, J., Dittrich, S., Fichtner, A., Härdtle, W., Naumann, B. & von Oheimb, G., 01.08.2018, In: Tuexenia. 38, p. 79-96 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  2. Published

    Green chemistry and its contribution to industrial biotechnology

    Pleissner, D. & Kümmerer, K., 2020, Sustainability and Life Cycle Assessment in Industrial Biotechnology. Fröhling, M. & Hiete, M. (eds.). Cham: Springer International Publishing, p. 281-298 18 p. (Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology; vol. 173).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  3. Published

    Assessing the Sustainability Performance of Sustainability Management Software

    Kern, E., Silva, S. L. & Guldner, A., 19.09.2018, In: Technologies. 6, 3, 15 p., 88.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Doing Gender – Doing Space – Doing Body: Feministische Kritiken an der De/Ökonomisierung von ‚Natur/en‘ – Entwicklung einer Forschungsperspektive

    Hofmeister, S., Mölders, T. & Onnen, C., 2018, Materialität/en und Geschlecht: Beiträge zur 6. Jahrestagung der Fachgesellschaft Geschlechterstudien e.V. . Palm, K., Jähnert, G., Völker, S. & Grenz, S. (eds.). Berlin: Zentrum für Transdisziplinäre Geschlechterstudien, Humboldt Universität Berlin, p. 63-81 19 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearch

  5. Published

    Renewable Energy Resources: How can Science Education Foster an Appropriate Understanding?

    Hüfner, S., Niebert, K. & Abels, S., 2018, Electronic Proceedings of the ESERA 2017 Conference: Research, Practice and Collaboration in Science Education. Finlayson, O., McLoughlin, E., Erduran, S. & Childs, P. (eds.). Dublin: European Science Education Research Association, p. 1076-1089 14 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearch

  6. Published

    Linking Transitions to Sustainability: Individual Agency, Normativity and Transdisciplinary Collaborations in transition Management

    Schäpke, N., 2018, Lüneburg, 344 p. (IETSR Discussion papers in Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research; vol. 2).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  7. Published

    Ein technoökologischer Habitus? Die Sozialmorphologie im Modell der Technosphäre

    Herberg, J. A. & Schmieg, G., 2018, Die Erde, der Mensch und das Soziale: zur Transformation gesellschaftlicher Naturverhältnisse im Anthropozän. Henkel, A. & Laux, H. (eds.). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 161-180 20 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published
  9. Published

    Unterricht zum Thema "Flucht und Flüchtlinge"? eine Analyse von Lehrmaterialien aus dem Internet

    Kater-Wettstädt, L., 09.2018, In: Zeitschrift für Bildungsforschung. 8, 2, p. 137 - 152 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Sustainable Entrepreneurship – Creating Environmental Solutions: Part 1

    Schaltegger, S. (Editor), Beckmann, M. (Editor) & Hockerts, K. (Editor), 2018, Olney: Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. 129 p. (International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing; vol. 10, no. 1)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesSpecial Journal issueResearch