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

    Ökosystem und Biodiversität

    Aßmann, T., Drees, C., Härdtle, W., Klein, A.-M., Schuldt, A. & Oheimb, G., 2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 147-174 28 p.

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

  2. Published

    Identifying core habitat before it's too late: The case of Bombina variegata, an internationally endangered amphibian

    Scheele, B. C., Boyd, C. E., Fischer, J., Fletcher, A. W., Hanspach, J. & Hartel, T., 01.03.2014, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 23, 3, p. 775-780 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Die Lücke schließen: Konsumenten zwischen ökologischer Einstellung und nicht-ökologischem Verhalten

    Haubach, C., Moser, A., Schmidt, M. & Wehner, C., 2013, In: Wirtschaftspsychologie. 15, 2/3, p. 33-47 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Unternehmerische Nachhaltigkeit

    Beckmann, M. & Schaltegger, S., 2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin/Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 321-367 47 p. (Springer-Lehrbuch).

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

  5. Published

    Nachhaltige Kommunalverwaltung

    Kirst, E., Trockel, S. & Heinrichs, H., 02.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 549-566 18 p.

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

  6. Published

    Hochwasser- und Küstenschutz in Deutschland

    Brinkmann, B. & Heinrichs, H., 02.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 501-522 22 p.

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

  7. Published

    Öffentliche Nachhaltigkeitssteuerung: Politik und nachhaltige Entwicklung

    Heinrichs, H., 02.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 279-289 11 p.

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

  8. Published

    The economic insurance value of ecosystem resilience

    Baumgärtner, S. & Strunz, S., 05.2014, In: Ecological Economics. 101, 6, p. 21-32 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Technische, betriebswirtschaftliche und rechtlichte Analyse des Einsatzes regionaler virtueller Kraftwerke in der Region Nord: Anwendungsbeispiel Blockstromversorgung bei Schiffen

    Grumm, F., Holstenkamp, L., Maly, C., Mattner, S., Meister, M., Plenz, M., Storjohann, J., Degenhart, H., Schomerus, T. & Schulz, D., 2013, Konferenz für Nachhaltige Energieversorgung und Integration von Speichern - NEIS 2013: Tagungsband. Schulz, D. (ed.). Hamburg: Helmut-Schmidt-Universität, p. 174-181 8 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Kommunikation, Partizipation und digitale Medien: Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation

    Michelsen, G. & Rieckmann, M., 2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 369-380 12 p.

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