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

    Wende zur Nachhaltigkeit: Warum wir mehr Forschung für die Menschen mit den Menschen brauchen

    Niebert, K., 02.2014, In: Umwelt Aktuell. 2, p. 4-5 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  2. Published

    “It is not the CO2 itself, it’s the imbalance!”: Conceptual reconstruction of the carbon cycle in global warming

    Niebert, K. & Gropengießer, H., 2011, Authenticity in Biology Education: Benefits and Challenges; A selection of papers presented at the VIII th conference of European Researchers in Didactics of Biology (ERIDOB) 13-17 July 2010 University of Minho, Braga, Portugal . Yarden, A. & Carvalho, G. S. (eds.). Braga: CIEC, Universidade do Minho, p. 339-352 14 p.

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

  3. Published

    Leitfadengestützte Interviews

    Niebert, K. & Gropengießer, H., 2014, Methoden in der naturwissenschaftsdidaktischen Forschung. Krüger, D., Parchmann, I. & Schecker, H. (eds.). Berlin: Springer, p. 121-132 12 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  4. Published

    The model of educational reconstruction: A framework for the design of theory-based content specific interventions: The example of climate change

    Niebert, K. & Gropengießer, H., 2013, Educational design research. Plomp, T. & Nieveen, N. (eds.). Enschede: SLO, p. 511-531 21 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  5. Published

    Implementing Corporate Sustainability: What drives the Application of Sustainability Management Tools in Germany?

    Windolph, S. E., Schaltegger, S. & Herzig, C., 28.10.2014, In: Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal. 5, 4, p. 378-404 27 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Monitoring of methotrexate chlorination in water

    Roig, B., Marquenet, B., Delpla, I., Bessonneau, V., Sellier, A., Leder, C., Thomas, O., Bolek, R. & Kummerer, K., 15.06.2014, In: Water Research. 57, p. 67-75 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published
  8. Published

    Wo die wilden Kerle wohnen: Nachhaltigkeitsorientierte Waldwirtschaft und"kulturelle Weiblichkeit"

    Katz, C., 2013, In: Politische Ökologie. 132, p. 50-57 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  9. Published

    Wie viel Kritik darf‘s denn sein? Die Kategorie Geschlecht in der Nachhaltigkeitsforschung

    Gottschlich, D. & Katz, C., 2013, In: Politische Ökologie. 135, p. 136-139 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  10. Published

    Kommentar

    Katz, C., 2013, Organisationskultur und Macht : Veränderungspotenziale und Gender. Sagebiel, F. (ed.). Münster: LIT Verlag, p. 221-222 2 p. (Gender interdisziplinär; no. 1).

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