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

    Biodiversity-friendly farming

    Fischer, J., Brittain, C. & Klein, A.-M., 01.01.2013, Encyclopedia of Biodiversity: Second Edition. Levin, S. A. (ed.). 2 ed. New York: Elsevier Scientific Publishing, p. 418-429 12 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  2. Published

    Climatic responses of tree-ring width and δ13C signatures of sessile oak (Quercus petraea Liebl.) on soils with contrasting water supply

    Härdtle, W., Niemeyer, T., Aßmann, T., Aulinger, A., Fichtner, A., Lang, A. C., Leuschner, C., Neuwirth, B., Pfister, L., Quante, M., Ries, C., Schuldt, A. & Oheimb, G., 01.09.2013, In: Plant Ecology. 214, 9, p. 1147-1156 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Wasser

    Evers, M. & Newig, J., 03.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin: Springer, p. 475-500 26 p.

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

  4. Published

    Kommunikation, Partizipation und digitale Medien: Partizipation

    Newig, J., 03.2014, Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Heinrichs, H. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum, p. 381-397 17 p.

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

  5. Published

    Materialistischer Ökofeminismus: Mary Mellor

    Hofmeister, S., 2013, Geschlechterverhältnisse & Nachhaltigkeit: Die Kategorie Geschlecht in den Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Hofmeister, S., Katz, C. & Mölders, T. (eds.). Opladen, Berlin, Toronto: Verlag Babara Budrich, p. 104-108 5 p.

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

  6. Published

    Unternehmerische Nachhaltigkeitsinnovationen durch nachhaltiges Unternehmertum

    Schaltegger, S. & Hansen, E. G., 2013, CSR und Innovationsmanagement: Gesellschaftliche Verantwortung als Innovationstreiber und Wettbewerbsvorteil. Altenburger, R. (ed.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Gabler Verlag, p. 19-30 12 p. (Management-Reihe Corporate Social Responsibility; vol. CSR und Innovationsmanagement).

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

  7. Published

    LED und Ressourcen - kleine Mengen, große Wirkung

    Kümmerer, K., 2013, Schutz der Nacht - Lichtverschmutzung, Biodiversität und Nachtlandschaft: Grundlagen, Folgen, Handlungsansätze, Beispiele guter Praxis . Held, M., Hölker, F. & Jessel, B. (eds.). Bonn: Bundesamt für Naturschutz, p. 101-104 4 p. (BfN-Skripten; vol. 336).

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

  8. Published

    Die Quitte-Methode: Integration von Stoffstrommodellierung und Pinch-Analyse für Batch-Prozesse am Beispiel der BIONADE GmbH

    Hasenstab, C., 2013, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 48 p.

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  9. Published

    Draußen? Zur Dialektik von Enteignung und Aneignung und zu deren aktuellen Erscheinungsformen

    Biesecker, A., Hofmeister, S. & von Winterfeld , U., 2013, In: Das Argument. 55, 4, p. 522-538 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Vermeidung von Lichtverschmutzung - Schutz der Nacht: Handlungsmöglichkeiten der Raum- und Umweltplanung

    Hofmeister, S., 2013, Schutz der Nacht- Lichtverschmutzung, Biodiversität und Nachtlandschaft: Grundlagen, Folgen, Handlungsansätze, Beispiele guter Praxis. Held, M., Hölker, F. & Jessel, B. (eds.). Bonn: Bundesamt für Naturschutz, p. 133-136 4 p. (BfN-Skripten; no. 336).

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