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

    Medialisierung der Wissenschaft als Voraussetzung ihrer Legitimierung und politischen Relevanz

    Peters, H. P., Heinrichs, H., Jung, A., Kallfass, M. & Petersen, I., 27.05.2008, Wissensproduktion und Wissenstransfer: Wissen im Spannungsfeld von Wissenschaft, Politik und Öffentlichkeit. Mayntz, R., Neidhardt, F., Weingart, P. & Wengenroth, U. (eds.). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 269-292 24 p. (Science Studies).

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

  2. Published

    Medialization of science as a prerequisite of its legitimization and political relevance

    Peters, H. P., Heinrichs, H., Jung, A., Kallfass, M. & Petersen, I., 2008, Communicating Science in Social Contexts: New Models, New Practices. Cheng, D., Claessens, M., Gascoigne, T., Metcalfe, J., Schiele, B. & Shi, S. (eds.). Dodrecht: Springer Netherlands, p. 71-92 22 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  3. Published

    Klimabedingte Änderungen im Wirtschaftssektor Tourismus

    Heinrichs, H. & Bartels, C. (Contributor), 2011, Klimabericht für die Metropolregion Hamburg. von Storch, H. & Claussen, M. (eds.). Berlin: Springer Verlag, p. 197-210 14 p.

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

  4. Published

    Partizipation, Kooperation und nachhaltige Entwicklung im Kontext globalen Wandels

    Kuhn, K. & Heinrichs, H., 2011, Nachhaltige Gesellschaft : Welche Rolle für Partizipation und Kooperation?. Heinrichs, H., Kuhn, K. & Newig, J. (eds.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 15-24 10 p.

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

  5. Published

    Einleitung: Nachhaltige Gesellschaft – Gestaltung durch Partizipation und Kooperation?

    Heinrichs, H., Kuhn, K. & Newig, J., 2011, Nachhaltige Gesellschaft : Welche Rolle für Partizipation und Kooperation?. Heinrichs, H., Kuhn, K. & Newig, J. (eds.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 11-14 4 p.

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

  6. Published

    Participation: Empowerment for Sustainable Development

    Heinrichs, H., 2011, Sustainability Communication: Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Theoretical Foundations. Godemann, J. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). Dordrecht: Springer Verlag, p. 187-198 12 p.

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

  7. Published

    Soziologie globaler Umwelt- und Nachhaltigkeitspolitik

    Heinrichs, H., 2011, Handbuch Umweltsoziologie. Groß, M. (ed.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 628-650 23 p.

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

  8. Published

    Parallelgesellschaften? Politische Eliten und Bürger.

    Heinrichs, H., 2011, Demokratie und Umweltkrise: Brauchen wir mehr Mitbestimmung?. München: Oekom Verlag, Vol. 14. p. 180-184 5 p. (Wissenschaft & Umwelt Interdisziplinär; no. 14/2011).

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

  9. Published

    Competition response of European beech Fagus sylvatica L. varies with tree size and abiotic stress: Minimizing anthropogenic disturbances in forests

    Fichtner, A., Sturm, K., Rickert, C., Härdtle, W. & Schrautzer, J., 12.2012, In: The Journal of Applied Ecology. 49, 6, p. 1306-1315 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  10. Published

    Functional trait similarity of native and invasive herb species in subtropical China-Environment-specific differences are the key

    Bachmann, D., Both, S., Bruelheide, H., Erfmeier, A., Ding, B.-Y., Gao, M., Härdtle, W. & Scherer-Lorenzen, M., 01.11.2012, In: Environmental and Experimental Botany. 83, p. 82-92 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review