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

    Globale Armut und regionaler Wohlstand – zwei Gegensätze?

    Mölders, T., 2008, Nachhaltig Vorsorgen: Dokumentation des 33. Kongresses Frauen in Naturwissenschaft und Technik. T. N. U. M. N. I. F. E. V. (ed.). Technik, Naturwissenschaft und Mathematik nachhaltig in Frauenhand (TechNaM), Vol. 33. p. 43-45 2 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsTransfer

  2. Published

    Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965): Eine Biographie

    Oermann, N. O. (Editor), 2010, 3 ed. München: C.H. Beck Verlag. 367 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsTransfer

  3. Published
  4. Published

    Multitrophic effects of experimental changes in plant diversity on cavity-nesting bees, wasps, and their parasitoids

    Ebeling, A., Klein, A.-M., Weisser, W. W. & Tscharntke, T., 06.2012, In: Oecologia. 169, 2, p. 453-465 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Energie als Schlüsselthema einer Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung: Ergebnisse aus der Evaluation und Konsequenzen für die pädagogische Praxis in der Diskussion

    Benoist, B., Moths, K. & Kosler, T., 11.2011, Hier spielt die Zukunft : Kinder. Werte. Klimaschutz: Dokumentation zur Fachtagung vom 02.12. - 03.12.2010/Potsdam. Müller, A. (ed.). Leuchtpol, p. 57 -59 3 p. (Schriftenreihe der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Natur- und Umweltbildung Bundesverand e.V.; no. 19)(Leuchtpol Bibliothek Sonderedition; no. 4).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksOtherResearch

  6. Published

    Waldartenliste der Farn- und Blütenpflanzen Deutschlands

    Scheringer, M., Ewald, J., Kriebitzsch, W.-U., Heinken, T., Schmidt, W., Abs, C., Bergmeier, E., Brand, J., Clumsee, H., Denner, M., Diekmann, M., Dierschke, H., Ebrecht, L., Ellenberg, H., Fischer, A., Friedel, A., Golisch, A., Härdtle, W., Kolb, A., Lippert, W., Peppler-Lisbach, C., Oheimb, G., Michiels, H.-G., Mast, R., Mayer, A., Poppendieck, H.-H., Reif, A., Riedel, W., Schmidt, P. A., Schubert, R., Seidling, W., Spangenberg, A., Storch, M., Stöcker, G., Stohr, G., Thiel, H., Urban, R., Wagner, A., Wagner, I., Weckesser, M., Westphal, C. D., Wulf, M., Zacharias, D. & Zerbe, S., 2011, Waldartlisten der Farn- und Blütenpflanzen, Moose und Flechten Deutschlands. Schmidt, M., Kriebitzsch, W.-U. & Ewald, J. (eds.). Bundesamt für Naturschutz, Vol. 299. p. 53-74 22 p. (BfN-Skripten; no. 299).

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

  7. Published

    Scandinavia, Blacks in

    Golly, N., 2009, Encyclopedia of Blacks in European History and Culture. Martone, E. (ed.). Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Publishing Group, Vol. 2.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticles for encyclopediaResearch

  8. Published

    Besatzungskinder

    Golly, N., 2009, Encyclopedia of Blacks in European History and Culture. Martone, E. (ed.). Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Publishing Group, Vol. 1.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticles for encyclopediaResearch

  9. Published

    Koloniale Spuren in Oldenburg

    Golly, N., 2008, Deplatziert !: Interventionen postkolonialer Kritik. Golly, N. & Cohrs, S. (eds.). Berlin: Wissenschaftlicher Verlag Berlin, p. 262-286

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

  10. Published

    "Ein Hauch von Afrika": Wer kann Urlaub im kolonialen Ambiente machen?

    Golly, N., 2008, Deplatziert !: Interventionen postkolonialer Kritik. Golly, N. & Cohrs, S. (eds.). Berlin: Wissenschaftlicher Verlag Berlin, p. 293-304

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