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

    Is small beautiful? The debate on the future of small individual farms in Poland

    Szumelda, A. U., 01.12.2013, In: Eastern European Countryside (EEC). 19, 1, p. 219-250 32 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Working in regional agro-food networks – Strengthening rural development through cooperation

    Burandt, A., Lang, F. J., Schrader, R. & Thiem, A., 01.12.2013, In: Eastern European Countryside (EEC). 19, 1, p. 153-176 24 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published
  4. Published

    Organizational Transformation and Higher Sustainability Management Education. The case of the MBA Sustainability Management

    Lee, K.-H. & Schaltegger, S., 26.08.2014, In: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. 15, 4, p. 450-472 23 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Establishment success in a forest biodiversity and ecosystem functioning experiment in subtropical China (BEF-China)

    Yang, X., Bauhus, J., Both, S., Fang, T., Härdtle, W., Kröber, W., Ma, K., Nadrowski, K., Pei, K., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Scholten, T., Seidler, G., Schmid, B., von Oheimb, G. & Bruelheide, H., 07.2013, In: European Journal of Forest Research. 132, 4, p. 593-606 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Weltorientierung durch Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung: Theoretische Grundlagen und Praxis des Sachunterrichts in der Grundschule

    Stoltenberg, U. (Editor), 2013, 1 ed. Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften. 207 p. (Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung in Kindergarten und Grundschule. Lüneburger Beiträge.; vol. 1)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  7. Published

    Umweltprüfungen und Bürgerbeteiligung bei der Planung des Ausbaus des deutschen Übertragungsnetzes: Welche Neuerungen bringen das Gesetz zur Neuregelung energiewirtschaftsrechtlicher Vorschriften (EnWG) und das Netzausbaubeschleunigungsgesetz (NABEG)?

    Schomerus, T. & Schäffler, A., 2013, Neue Energien - Neue Herausforderungen: Naturschutz in Zeiten der Energiewende. B. B. N. (ed.). Bonn: Bundesverband Beruflicher Naturschutz, p. 98-107 10 p. (Jahrbuch für Naturschutz und Landschaftspflege; vol. 59).

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

  8. Published

    Curriculum and Didaktik in 21st Century: Still Divergent or Converging?

    Tahirsylaj, A., Niebert, K. & Duschl, R. A., 2015, In: European Journal of Curriculum Studies. 2, 2, p. 262-281 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    The hidden hand that shapes conceptual understanding: Choosing effective representations for teaching cell division and climate change

    Niebert, K., Riemeier, T. & Gropengießer, H., 2013, Multiple representations in biological education. Tsui, C. Y. & Treagust, D. (eds.). Dordrecht: Springer, p. 293-310 18 p. (Models and Modeling in Science Education; vol. 7).

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

  10. Published

    Understanding the Greenhouse Effect by Embodiment: Analysing and Using Students' and Scientists' Conceptual Resources

    Niebert, K. & Gropengießer, H., 22.01.2014, In: International Journal of Science Education. 36, 2, p. 277-303 27 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review