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

    Polyfluoroalkyl compounds in landfill leachates

    Busch, J., Ahrens, L., Sturm, R. & Ebinghaus, R., 05.2010, In: Environmental Pollution. 158, 5, p. 1467-1471 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Learning settings to face climate change

    Burandt, S. & Barth, M., 01.05.2010, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 18, 7, p. 659-665 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Tree diversity promotes insect herbivory in subtropical forests of south-east China

    Schuldt, A., Baruffol, M., Boehnke, M., Bruelheide, H., Härdtle, W., Lang, A. C., Nadrowski, K., von Oheimb, G., Voigt, W., Zhou, H. & Aßmann, T., 07.2010, In: Journal of Ecology. 98, 4, p. 917-926 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Polyfluoroalkyl compounds in the East Greenland Arctic Ocean

    Busch, J., Ahrens, L., Xie, Z., Sturm, R. & Ebinghaus, R., 2010, In: Journal of Environmental Monitoring. 12, 6, p. 1242-1246 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Detection and mapping of water pollution variation in the Nile Delta using multivariate clustering and GIS techniques

    Shaban, M., Urban, B., El Saadi, A. M. K. & Faisal, M., 01.08.2010, In: Journal of Environmental Management. 91, 8, p. 1785-1793 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Groundwater intrusion into leaky sewer systems

    Wittenberg, H. & Aksoy, H., 2010, In: Water Science and Technology. 62, 1, p. 92-98 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Multilevel Water Governance and Problems of Scale: Setting the Stage for a Broader Debate

    Moss, T. & Newig, J., 07.2010, In: Environmental Management. 46, 1, p. 1-6 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  8. Published

    Luminescence dating of late holocene dunes showing remnants of early settlement in Cuddalore and evidence of monsoon activity in south east India

    Frechen, M., Ramachandran, R., Urban, B. & Kunz, J.-A., 01.08.2010, In: Quaternary International. 222, 1-2, p. 194-208 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Biogeography meets conservation: the genetic structure of the endangered lycaenid butterfly Lycaena helle (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)

    Habel, J. C., Schmitt, T., Meyer, M., Finger, A., Roedder, D., Aßmann, T. & Zachos, F. E., 09.2010, In: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 101, 1, p. 155-168 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published