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

    Partizipation am Beispiel von Preisbildung: Grundzüge einer ökonomischen Perspektive im Rahmen einer Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung im Sachunterricht

    Löw Beer, D., 2013, Weltorientierung durch Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung: Theoretische Grundlagen und Praxis des Sachunterrichts in der Grundschule. Stoltenberg, U. (ed.). Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, Vol. 1. p. 65-79 15 p. (Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung in Kindergarten und Grundschule. Lüneburger Beiträge.; vol. 1).

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

  2. Published

    Kulturwissenschaftliche Zugänge im Sachunterricht - Impulse für die Praxis im Rahmen einer Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung

    Holz, V., 2013, Weltorientierung durch Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung: Theoretische Grundlagen und Praxis des Sachunterrichts in der Grundschule. Stoltenberg, U. (ed.). Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, Vol. 1. p. 47-63 17 p. (Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung in Kindergarten und Grundschule. Lüneburger Beiträge.; vol. 1).

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

  3. Published

    Sachunterricht für das 21. Jahrhundert - Weltorientierung durch Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung

    Stoltenberg, U., 2013, Weltorientierung durch Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung: Theoretische Grundlagen und Praxis des Sachunterrichts in der Grundschule. Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, Vol. 1. p. 13-45 33 p. (Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung in Kindergarten und Grundschule. Lüneburger Beiträge.; vol. 1).

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

  4. Published

    Innovation in Sustainable Supply Chains: Interaction for Resources from an SME Perspective

    Harms, D. & Klewitz, J., 2013, Supply Management Research: Aktuelle Forschungsergebnisse 2013. Bogaschewsky, R., Eßig, M., Lasch, R. & Stölzle, W. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Gabler Verlag, p. 105-130 26 p. (Advanced Studies in Supply Management).

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

  5. Published

    Tree diversity promotes functional dissimilarity and maintains functional richness despite species loss in predator assemblages

    Schuldt, A., Bruelheide, H., Durka, W., Michalski, S. G., Purschke, O. & Aßmann, T., 02.2014, In: Oecologia. 174, 2, p. 533-543 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published
  7. Published

    Empathie und Solidarität mit Um- und Nachwelt: Politische Bildung und nachhaltige Entwicklung

    Michelsen, G., 2013, Wissen und Können: Wege zum professionellen Handeln in der politischen Bildung. Hufer, K.-P., Länge, T. W., Menke, B., Overwien, B. & Schudoma, L. (eds.). Schwalbach / Ts.: Wochenschau-Verlag, p. 217-219 3 p.

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

  8. Published

    Günter Altner - großer Kopf, freier Geist

    Michelsen, G., 2013, Mut zu Visionen: Brücken in die Zukunft. Leitschuh, H., Michelsen, G., Simonis, U. E., Sommer, J. & von Weizsäcker, E. U. (eds.). Stuttgart: S. Hirzel Verlag, p. 221-224 4 p. (Jahrbuch Ökologie; vol. 2014).

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

  9. Published

    Mut zu Visionen: Brücken in die Zukunft

    Leitschuh, H. (Editor), Michelsen, G. (Editor), Simonis, U. E. (Editor), Sommer, J. (Editor) & Weizsäcker, E. U. V. (Editor), 2013, Stuttgart: S. Hirzel Verlag. 256 p. (Jahrbuch Ökologie; vol. 2014)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesTransfer

  10. Published

    Politik für ein nachhaltiges Europa

    Heinrichs, H. & Laws, N., 2013, Mut zu Visionen : Brücken in die Zukunft; in memoriam Werner Schenkel. Leitschuh, H., Michelsen, G., Simonis, U. E., Sommer, J. & von Weizsäcker, E. U. (eds.). Stuttgart: S. Hirzel Verlag, p. 32-43 12 p. (Jahrbuch Ökologie; vol. 2014).

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