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

    Raum-Bildung, Konsum-Muster und Kommunikation für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung

    Stoltenberg, U., 2000, Lebenswelt Hochschule. Stoltenberg, U. (ed.). Frankfurt/Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 9-12 4 p. (Innovationen in den Hochschulen – Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 2).

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

  2. Published

    Umweltkommunikation in lokalen Agenda 21-Prozessen

    Stoltenberg, U., 2000, Lokale Agenda 21 / Akteure und Aktionen in Deutschland und Italien. Agenda 21 locale / Attori ed azioni in Germania ed in Italia. Nora, E. & Stoltenberg, U. (eds.). Frankfurt/Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 11-14 4 p.

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

  3. Published

    Die Dinge und wir: Räume, Dinge und Nachhaltigkeit

    Stoltenberg, U., 2000, Lebenswelt Hochschule. Stoltenberg, U. (ed.). Frankfurt/Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 53-69 17 p. (Innovationen in den Hochschulen – Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 2).

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

  4. Published

    Lebenswelt Hochschule als Erfahrungsraum für Nachhaltigkeit

    Stoltenberg, U., 2000, Sustainable university – auf dem Weg zu einem universitären Agendaprozess. Michelsen, G. (ed.). Frankfurt/Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 90-116 27 p. (Innovationen in den Hochschulen – Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 1).

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

  5. Published

    La comunicazione ambientale nei processi locali dell'Agenda 21

    Stoltenberg, U., 2000, Lokale Agenda 21 / Akteure und Aktionen in Deutschland und Italien. Agenda 21 locale / Attori ed azioni in Germania ed in Italia. Stoltenberg, U. & Nora, E. (eds.). Frankfurt/Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 15-19 5 p.

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

  6. Published

    Partizipation in lokalen Agenda-Prozessen

    Stoltenberg, U., 2000, Lokale Agenda 21 / Akteure und Aktionen in Deutschland und Italien. Agenda 21 locale / Attori ed azioni in Germania ed in Italia. Stoltenberg, U. & Nora, E. (eds.). Frankfurt/Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 210-215 6 p.

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

  7. Published

    La partecipazione nei processi-agenda locali

    Stoltenberg, U., 2000, Lokale Agenda 21 / Akteure und Aktionen in Deutschland und Italien. Agenda 21 locale / Attori ed azioni in Germania ed in Italia. Stoltenberg, U. & Nora, E. (eds.). Frankfurt/Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 210-215 7 p.

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

  8. Published

    Anknüpfungspunkte für Gesundheit auf dem Campus einer Universität

    Stoltenberg, U., 2002, Agenda 21 und Universität – auch eine Frage der Gesundheit?. Paulus, P. & Stoltenberg, U. (eds.). Frankfurt/Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 50-52 3 p. (Innovationen in den Hochschulen – Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 7).

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

  9. Published

    Nachhaltige Entwicklung und Gesundheit – ein gemeinsamer Diskussions- und Praxiszusammenhang

    Michelsen, G., Paulus, P. & Stoltenberg, U., 2002, Agenda 21 und Universität – auch eine Frage der Gesundheit?. Paulus, P. & Stoltenberg, U. (eds.). Frankfurt/Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 14-48 35 p. (Innovationen in den Hochschulen – Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 7).

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

  10. Published

    Umweltethik und Nachhaltigkeit als integrale Bestandteile eines Hochschulstudiums

    Stoltenberg, U., 2009, Greening the University – Perspektiven für eine nachhaltige Hochschule. S. G. T. U. E. V. (ed.). München: oekom verlag GmbH, p. 78-101 24 p.

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