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

    Trees in the desert: Reproduction and genetic structure of fragmented Ulmus pumila forests in Mongolian drylands

    Wesche, K., Walther, D., von Wehrden, H. & Hensen, I., 02.2011, In: Flora. 206, 2, p. 91-99 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Software-Unterstützung für Routine im betrieblichen Umweltschutz

    Möller, A., 2010, Integration of environmental information in Europe: EnviroInfo 2010 ; proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Informatics for Environmental Protection, Cologne/Bonn, Germany. Greve, K. & Cremers, A. B. (eds.). Shaker Verlag, p. 375-382 8 p.

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

  3. Published

    About the Sense of Useless Software

    Möller, A., 2010, Integration of Environmental Information in Europe: Proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Informatics for Environmental Protection Cologne/Bonn, Germany / EnviroInfo 2010. Greve, K. & Cremers, A. B. (eds.). Shaker Verlag, p. 279-287 9 p.

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

  4. Published

    IT Support for Sustainable Development in Organizations

    Möller, A. & Rolf, A., 2010, What Kind of Information Society?: Governance, Virtuality, Surveillance, Sustainability, Resilience. Hilty, L. M., Berleur, J. & Hercheui, M. D. (eds.). Springer, Vol. 328. p. 281-291 11 p. (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology; vol. 328).

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

  5. Published

    Efficiency: A Guiding Principle of Corporate Environmental Management Information Systems

    Möller, A., 2010, Corporate Environmental Management Information Systems: Advancements and Trends. Teuteberg, F. & Gomez, J. M. (eds.). Hershey: IGI Global Publishing, p. 1-21 21 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  6. Published

    Nachhaltiges Mobilitätsmanagement bei KPMG

    Heinrichs, H., 2010, In: Glocalist Review. 252, p. 21-22 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Environmental Sociology: European perspectives and interdisciplinary challenges

    Gross, M. (Editor) & Heinrichs, H. (Editor), 2010, Dordrecht u.a.: Springer. 361 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesBook

  8. Published

    Knowledge and social learning for sustainable development

    Siebenhüner, B. & Heinrichs, H., 2010, Environmental Sociology : European perspectives and interdisciplinary challenges. Gross, M. & Heinrichs, H. (eds.). Dordrecht u.a.: Springer, p. 185-199 15 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  9. Published

    Climate change and society - communicating adaptation

    Heinrichs, H., 2010, Environmental Sociology : European Perspectives and Interdisciplinary Challenges. Gross, M. & Heinrichs, H. (eds.). Dordrecht u.a.: Springer, p. 323-344 22 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  10. Published

    Technik, Medium, Kommunikation Zur semeiotischen Struktur des Blogs: Der Blog als Zeichen Symbol kritischen common-sense

    Tribel, A., 2010, Saarbrücken: VDM Verlag Dr. Müller. 100 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch