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

    Multifunctional Agricultural Policies – Pathways towards Sustainable Rural Development?

    Mölders, T., 2014, In: International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food. 21, 1, p. 97-114 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Sufficiency and Subsistence – On two important concepts for Sustainable Development

    Mölders, T., Szumelda, A. U. & von Winterfeld, U., 2014, In: Problemy Ekorozwoju. 9, 1, p. 21-27 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Pressure effects on activity and selectivity of Candida rugosa lipase in organic solvents

    Herbst, D., Peper, S., Fernández, J. F., Ruck, W. & Niemeyer, B., 02.2014, In: Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic. 100, p. 104-110 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Günter Altner - großer Kopf und freier Geist

    Michelsen, G., 2014, Vordenker und Vorreiter der Ökobewegung: 40 ausgewählte Porträts. Simonis, U. E. (ed.). 1. ed. Stuttgart: S. Hirzel Verlag, p. 84-87 4 p.

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

  5. Published

    Comparison of nutrient removal capacity and biomass settleability of four high-potential microalgal species.

    Su, Y., Mennerich, A. & Urban, B., 11.2012, In: Bioresource Technology. 124, p. 157-162 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Qualitative environmental risk assessment of photolytic transformation products of iodinated X-ray contrast agent diatrizoic acid

    Rastogi, T., Leder, C. & Kümmerer, K., 01.06.2014, In: The Science of The Total Environment. 482-483, 1, p. 378-388 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Vision Statement for the Planet in 2050

    Bhave, A., Ceausu, S., Deshmukh, A., Jewell, J., Pan, W. & Timm, J.-M., 14.03.2014, Creating a Sustainable and Desirable Future : Insights from 45 Global Thought Leaders . Costanza, R. & Kubiszewski, I. (eds.). 1 ed. New Jersey: World Scientific Publishing Company, p. 51-54 4 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  8. Published

    Lobbying the ‘Energiewende’: Assessing the effectiveness of strategies to promote the renewable energy business in Germany

    Sühlsen, K. & Hisschemöller, M., 06.2014, In: Energy Policy. 69, p. 316-325 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    The Three-Tiered Leuphana Model of Student Support

    Balsam, R., Newig, J. & Seifert, A., 20.02.2014, Lüneburg: Universität Lüneburg, Institut für Umweltkommunikation (INFU), 14 p. (INFU - Diskussionsbeiträge; no. 39/14).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  10. Published

    Der Nachhaltigkeitsprozess der Universität Graz - analysiert durch das Grazer Modell für Integrative Entwicklung

    Mader, C., Mader, M. & Diethart, M., 2011, Nachhaltigkeit - Regionalentwicklung - Tourismus: Festschrift zum 60. Geburtstag von Friedrich M. Zimmermann. Zimmermann, F. (ed.). Graz: Institut für Geographie und Raumforschung, p. 63 - 69 7 p. (Grazer Schriften der Geographie und Raumforschung; vol. 46).

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