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

    Understanding and Communicating Climate Change in Metaphors

    Niebert, K. & Gropengiesser, H., 01.06.2013, In: Environmental Education Research. 19, 3, p. 282-302 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    River flow regime and snow cover of the Pamir Alay (Central Asia) in a changing climate

    Chevallier, P., Pouyaud, B., Mojaisky, M., Bolgov, M., Olsson, O., Bauer, M. & Froebrich, J., 08.2014, In: Hydrological Sciences Journal. 59, 8, p. 1491-1506 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Außerschulische Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung: Methoden, Praxis, Perspektiven; eine Bestandsaufnahme am Beginn des 21. Jahrhunderts

    Michelsen, G., Rode, H., Wendler, M. & Bittner, A., 2013, München: oekom verlag GmbH. 216 p. (DBU-Umweltkommunikation; vol. 1)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Involving Corporate Functions: Who Contributes to Sustainable Development?

    Schaltegger, S., Harms, D., Windolph, S. E. & Hörisch, J., 19.05.2014, In: Sustainability. 6, 5, p. 3064-3085 22 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Atmospheric mercury over sea ice during the OASIS-2009 campaign

    Steffen, A., Bottenheim, J., Cole, A., Douglas, T. A., Ebinghaus, R., Friess, U., Netcheva, S., Nghiem, S., Sihler, H. & Staebler, R., 24.07.2013, In: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 13, 14, p. 7007-7021 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Fatty Acid Profile of the Initial Oral Biofilm (Pellicle): an In-Situ Study

    Reich, M., Kümmerer, K., Al-Ahmad, A. & Hannig, C., 09.2013, In: Lipids. 48, 9, p. 929-937 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    How to specify the structure of substituted blade-like zigzag diamondoids

    Balaban, A. T. & Rücker, C., 09.2013, In: Central European Journal of Chemistry. 11, 9, p. 1423-1430 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Photocatalytic degradation of sulfamethoxypyridazine with TiO2, FeCl3 and TiO2/FeCl3: Biodegradability, toxicity assessment, and LC-UV-MS/MS identification of the photodegradation products in aqueous and sewage treatment plant effluent

    Khaleel, N. D. H., Mahmoud, W. M. M., Hadad, G. M., Abdel-Salam, R. A., Leder, C. & Kümmerer, K., 2013, 14th EuCheMS International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment. European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences / Division of Organic Chemistry, p. 365 1 p.

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

  9. Published

    Identification and initial toxicity assessment of Thalidomide and its phototransformation products

    Mahmoud, W. M. M., Toolaram, A. P., Menz, J., Leder, C., Schneider, M. & Kümmerer, K., 2013, 14th EuCheMS International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment. European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences / Division of Organic Chemistry, p. 366 1 p.

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

  10. Published

    Nachhaltigkeit als Verbandsaufgabe: Anforderungen aus dem Konzept der Nachhaltigkeit und Empfehlungen für die Interessenvertretung am Beispiel der deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft

    Gaedicke, M., 2013, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 133 p.

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers