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

    Services from plant-pollinator interactions in the Neotropics

    Garibaldi, L. A., Muchhala, N., Motzke, I., Bravo-Monroy, L., Olschewski, R. & Klein, A.-M., 01.01.2012, Ecosystem Services from Agriculture and Agroforestry: Measurement and Payment. Rapidel, B., DeClerck, F., Le Coq, J. F. & Beer, J. (eds.). 1 ed. London: Earthscan Publications Ltd., p. 119-140 22 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  2. Published

    Ecosystem services in Agricultural landscapes

    Smukler, S. M., Philpott, S. M., Jackson, L. E., Klein, A.-M., DeClerck, F., Winowiecki, L. & Palm, C. A., 01.01.2012, Integrating Ecology and Poverty Reduction: Ecological Dimensions. Ingram, J. C., Clerck, F. A. D. & Rio, C. R. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Springer, p. 17-51 35 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  3. Published

    Ecosystem services between sustainability and efficiency

    Olschewski, R. & Klein, A.-M., 01.04.2011, In: Sustainability: Science, Practice, and Policy. 7, 1, p. 69-73 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Social Entrepreneurs and Social Change: Tracing impacts of social entrepreneurship through ideas, structures, and practices

    Ney, S., Beckmann, M., Gräbnitz, D. & Mirkovic , R., 2014, In: International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing. 6, 1, p. 51-68 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Ordnungsverantwortung: Rational Choice als ordonomisches Forschungsprogramm

    Beckmann, M., 11.03.2010, Berlin: Wissenschaftlicher Verlag Berlin. 342 p. (Ökonomik und Ethik; vol. 12)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  6. Published

    Partizipation und neue Formen der Governance

    Newig, J., 2011, Handbuch Umweltsoziologie. Groß, M. (ed.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 486-502 17 p.

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

  7. Published

    Nachhaltige Entwicklung durch gesellschaftliche Partizipation und Kooperation? – eine kritische Revision zentraler Theorien und Konzepte

    Newig, J., Kuhn, K. & Heinrichs, H., 2011, Nachhaltige Gesellschaft: Welche Rolle für Partizipation und Kooperation?. Heinrichs, H., Kuhn, K. & Newig, J. (eds.). VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 27-45 19 p.

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

  8. Published

    Partizipation und Kooperation zur Effektivitätssteigerung in Politik und Governance?

    Newig, J., 2011, Nachhaltige Gesellschaft: Welche Rolle für Partizipation und Kooperation?. Heinrichs, H., Kuhn, K. & Newig, J. (eds.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 65-79 15 p.

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

  9. Published

    Nachhaltige Gesellschaft: Welche Rolle für Partizipation und Kooperation?

    Heinrichs, H. (Editor), Kuhn, K. (Editor) & Newig, J. (Editor), 2011, Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. 222 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  10. Published

    Multi-Level Water Governance: Coping with Problems of Scale

    Newig, J. (Editor) & Moss, T. (Editor), 2010, Springer. 142 p. (Environmental Management; vol. 46, no. 1)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesSpecial Journal issueResearch