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

    Impacts of a pesticide on pollinator species richness at different spatial scales

    Brittain, C., Vighi, M., Bommarco, R., Settele, J. & Potts, S. G., 03.2010, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 11, 2, p. 106-115 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Auenböden der Elbe als Archiv für die Stoffdynamik im Einzugsgebiet

    Urban, B., Krüger, F., Weniger, T., Prüter, J., Keienburg, T., Lang, F. & Graf, M., 2011, Böden verstehen, Böden nutzen, Böden fit machen: Jahrestagung der Deutschen Bodenkundlichen Gesellschaft. Deutsche Bodenkundliche Gesellschaft (DBG), p. 42-59 17 p. (Mitteilungen der Deutschen Bodenkundlichen Gesellschaft; no. 114).

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

  3. Published

    Adaptation strategies for sustainable water management of lake Nasser, Egypt, to climate change

    Elba, E., Urban, B. & Farghaly, D., 2011, International Conference on the Status and Future of the World’s Large Rivers: Conference Abstract Book. Habersack, H., Schober, B. & Walling, D. (eds.). Tribun EU, p. 385 1 p.

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

  4. Published

    Response to David B. Brooks

    Wegerich, K. & Olsson, O., 05.2011, In: Water International. 36, 3, p. 410-413 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Stellungnahme zu Walentowski H. et al. 2010. Sind die deutschen waldnaturschutzkonzepte adäquat für die erhaltung der buchenwaldtypischen flora und fauna? Eine kritische bewertung basierend auf der herkunft der waldarten des mitteleuropäischen Tief- und hügellandes. Forstarchiv 81, 195-217

    Meyer, P., Schmidt, M., Blick, T., Brunet, J., Dorow, W. H. O., Hakes, W., Härdtle, W., Heinken, T., Hertel, D., Knapp, H. D., Leuschner, C., Oheimb, G., Otte, V. & Schmidt, W., 03.2011, In: Forstarchiv. 82, 2, p. 62-66 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  6. Published

    Predator diversity and abundance provide little support for the enemies hypothesis in forests of high tree diversity

    Schuldt, A., Both, S., Bruelheide, H., Härdtle, W., Schmid, B., Zhou, H. & Aßmann, T., 28.07.2011, In: PLoS ONE. 6, 7, 8 p., e22905.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    A Glance at the World

    Sasu, S., Metzger, J., Kranert, M. & Kümmerer, K., 11.2011, In: Waste Management. 31, 11, p. 2361-2364 4 p.

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

  8. Published

    Crown plasticity and neighborhood interactions of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in an old-growth forest

    Schröter, M., Härdtle, W. & Oheimb, G., 05.2012, In: European Journal of Forest Research. 131, 3, p. 787-798 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Municipal wastewater treatment and biomass accumulation with a wastewater-born and settleable algal-bacterial culture

    Su, Y., Mennerich, A. & Urban, B., 05.2011, In: Water Research. 45, 11, p. 3351-3358 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    New evidence for vegetation development and timing of Upper Middle Pleistocene interglacials in Northern Germany and tentative correlations

    Urban, B., Sierralta, M. & Frechen, M., 15.08.2011, In: Quaternary International. 241, 1-2, p. 125-142 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review