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

    Multifunctionality and biodiversity: Ecosystem services in temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest, USA

    Brandt, P., Abson, D., DellaSala, D. A., Feller, R. & von Wehrden, H., 01.2014, In: Biological Conservation. 169, p. 362-371 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Identification of floodplain contamination hot spots by reconstructing Elbe river pollution load history and high flood sediment distribution during inundation.

    Krüger, F., Weniger, T., Haensch, M. & Urban, B., 2012, Die Elbe und ihre Sedimente. Tagungsband : Magdeburger Gewässerschutzseminar 2012; Magdebursk´y semináÿér o ochranÿée vod 2012 : 10. und 11. Oktober 2012 in Hamburg. P. D. M. G. 2. & I. K. Z. S. D. E. (eds.). Magdeburg: Magdeburger Gewässerschutzseminar, p. 157-158 2 p.

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

  3. Published

    Land sparing versus land sharing: moving forward

    Fischer, J., Abson, D., Butsic, V., Chappell, M. J., Ekroos, J., Hanspach, J., Kuemmerle, T., Smith, H. G. & von Wehrden, H., 2013, ASPECTS OF APPLIED BIOLOGY 121: Rethinking Agricultural Systems in the UK. AAB, p. 105-107 3 p. (Aspects of Applied Biology).

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

  4. Published

    Soziale Differenzkategorien als Gegenstand der Lehrer*innenbildung: ein empirischer Beitrag

    Budde, J., Offen, S. & Schmidt, J., 2014, Geschlecht und Vielfalt in Schule und Lehrerbildung . Eisenbraun, V. & Uhl, S. (eds.). 1 ed. Münster: Waxmann Verlag, p. 223-237 15 p.

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

  5. Published

    Disparate disziplinäre Logiken pädagogischer Handlungsfelder

    Offen, S. & Budde, J., 2014, Jugendhilfe und Intersektionalität. von Langsdorff, N. (ed.). Opladen: Verlag Babara Budrich, p. 116-133 18 p.

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

  6. Published

    Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung: Lehrerinnen und Lehrer als "Change Agents"

    Michelsen, G., 2013, Landschaften - Gärten - Literaturen: Festschrift für Hubertus Fischer. von der Lühe, I. & Wolschke-Bulmahn, J. (eds.). München: Akademische Verlagsgemeinschaft , p. 99-110 12 p.

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

  7. Published

    Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung in Biosphärenreservaten in Deutschland

    Marwege, R., 2014, Vom Sinn der Heimat: Bindung, Wandel, Verlust, Gestaltung - Hintergründe für die Bildungsarbeit. Jung, N., Molitor, H. & Schilling, A. (eds.). Leverkusen: Budrich UniPress , p. 221-234 14 p. (Eberswalder Beiträge zu Bildung und Nachhaltigkeit; vol. 3).

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

  8. Published

    Do wild bees complement honeybee pollination of confection sunflowers in Israel?

    Pisanty, G., Klein, A.-M. & Mandelik, Y., 03.2014, In: Apidologie. 45, 2, p. 235-247 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Model-based estimation of pesticides and transformation products and their export pathways in a headwater catchment

    Gassmann, M., Stamm, C., Olsson, O., Lange, J., Kümmerer, K. & Weiler, M., 23.12.2013, In: Hydrology and Earth System Sciences. 17, 12, p. 5213–5228 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Tod eines Investmentbankers: eine Sittengeschichte der Finanzbranche

    Oermann, N. O., 2013, Freiburg im Breisgau: Herder Verlag. 255 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearchpeer-review