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

    Corporate Sustainability Meets Transdisciplinarity

    Schaltegger, S., Beckmann, M. & Hansen, E. G., 05.2013, In: Business Strategy and the Environment. 22, 4, p. 217-218 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  2. Published

    Measuring the (Un-)Sustainability of Industrial Biomass Production and Use

    Burritt, R. & Schaltegger, S., 16.11.2012, In: Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal. 3, 2, p. 109-133 25 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published
  4. Published

    Pragmatism and new Directions in Social and Environmental Accountability Research

    Baker, M. & Schaltegger, S., 16.02.2015, In: Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal. 28, 2, p. 263-294 32 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    RCE Graz-Styria: Influencing Sustainable Consumption and Production in Styria

    Diethart, M., Mader, C., Zimmerman, F., Mader, M. & Meyer, J., 2012, Towards More Sustainable Consumption and Production Systems and Sustainable Livelihoods: Learning Contributions of the Regional Centres of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development. Fadeeva, Z., Payyappalimana, U. & Petry, R. (eds.). Yokohama, Japan: United Nations University - Institute for Advanced Studies, p. 68-71 4 p. (Innovation in Local and Global Learning Systems for Sustainability).

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

  6. Published

    Sustainability process assessment on transformative potentials: The Graz Model for Integrative Development

    Mader, C., 06.2013, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 49, June, p. 54-63 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Methods for Transdisciplinary Research: A Primer for Practice

    Bergmann, M., Jahn, T., Knobloch, T., Krohn, W., Pohl, C. & Schramm, E., 16.08.2012, Campus Verlag. 294 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  8. Published

    Linking bird species traits to vegetation characteristics in a future urban development zone: Implications for urban planning

    Ikin, K., Lindenmayer, D. B., Fischer, J., Manning, A. D. & Knight, E., 12.2012, In: Urban Ecosystems. 15, 4, p. 961-977 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    An academia beyond quantity: a reply to Loyola et al. and Halme et al.

    Fischer, J., Hanspach, J. & Ritchie, E. G., 01.11.2012, In: Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 27, 11, p. 587-588 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  10. Published