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
Application of analytical ultracentrifugation in gravitational sweep mode coupled with turbidity detection for analyzing polydisperse emulsions of aged biodiesel and alkanes
Türck, J., Schilling, K., Walter, J., Schmitt, F., Lichtinger, A., Türck, R., Ruck, W. & Krahl, J., 2025, In: RSC Advances. 15, 56, p. 47840-47849 10 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Accepted/In press
Operational principles for fostering transformative qualities and capacities in higher education sustainability science and practice
Fagerholm, N., Coles, N., Beery, T., Torralba, M., Hakkarainen, V., Albert, C., Andersson, E., Bergström, R., Bieling, C., Gentin, S., Klonner, C., Stahl Olafsson, A., Raymond, C., Rouhiainen, H. & Wamsler, C., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Sustainability Science.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Accepted/In press
Designing at-source and end-of-pipe biotechnologies to tackle pharmaceutical pollution
Akhrimenko, V., Kümmerer, K., Malato, S., Lertxundi, U. & Orive, G., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Trends in Biotechnology. 14 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Published
Testing Camera Trapping to Survey the Ground-Dwelling Bird Assemblage of Two Afromontane Rainforest Fragments in Rwanda
Sun, P. & Wronski, T., 12.2025, In: African Journal of Ecology. 63, 8, 13 p., e70137.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Exploring culture(s) of sustainability at higher education institutions: a systematic review of concepts and pathways
Holst, J., Fritz, H., Nölting, B., Lang, D. J., Löde, V. L., Ober, S., Parodi, O., Potthast, T., Scheiding, C. T., Weynand, M. & Singer-Brodowski, M., 26.11.2025, In: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. 25, 9, p. 489-506 18 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Published
Pflanzengesellschaft des Jahres 2026: Federgras-Steppe (Festucion valesiacae)
Becker, T., Bergmeier, E., Boch, S., Diekmann, M., Dolnik, C., Durka, W., Ewald, J., Fartmann, T., Fechtler, T., Härdtle, W., Heinken, T., Hölzel, N., Horn, K., Lütt, S., Poniatowski, D., Pusch, J., Remy, D., Schneider, S., Thiel, H., Tischew, S., Vynokurov, D. & Willner, W., 2025, In: Tuexenia. 45Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
New rationalities, inner logic, and hope for sustainable future coasts
Celliers, L., Ferse, S., Bruns, A., Eisenack, K., Hornidge, A. K., Klepp, S., Lahl, R., Neumann, B., Riechers, M., Bogusz, T., Fuchs, N., Gee, K., Hampton, S., Hinkel, J., Kny, J., Kriegl, M., Krönert, T., Costa, M. M., Otto, L., Pfaff, M. & Rölfer, L., 11.12.2025, In: Global Sustainability. 9, e2.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Accepted/In press
Local peoples' values and disvalues in and around an Indian protected area undergoing urbanization
Plieninger, T., Thapa, P., Fagerholm, N., Basu, S., Bhaskar, D., Nagendra, H., Raymond, C. M. & Torralba, M., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Environmental Conservation. 9 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Navigating Through the Fog of Negotiation: An Investigation of How Negotiators Use Reference Points
Mann, M., 01.01.2025, Springer Science + Business Media. 150 p.Research output: Books and anthologies › Book
- Published
Assessments of life cycle and biodegradation properties uncovered distinct profiles of pharmaceutical excipients guiding selection for drug formulations
Bading, M., Griffing, E., Olsson, O., Harris, J., Scher, J., Sakurai, A., Overcash, M. & Kümmerer, K., 28.12.2025, In: Green Chemistry . 27, 48, p. 15568-15581 14 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
