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

    Globales Lernen in informellen Settings an Hochschulen

    Rieckmann, M., 2007, In: ZEP - Zeitschrift für internationale Bildungsforschung und Entwicklungspädagogik. 30, 1, p. 7-10 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  2. Published
  3. Published

    National sustainability strategies: "blind spots" from and for gender perspectives – Example Germany

    Hofmeister, S. & Weller, I., 2008, Sustainable Development: Past Conflicts and Future Challenges. Taking Stock of the Sustainable Discourse. Spangenberg, J. H. (ed.). Münster: Verlag Westfälisches Dampfboot, p. 177-197 21 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Fallstudie Novartis: Integration der sozialen Dimension in die Unternehmesstrategie

    Spirig, K. & Dubielzig, F., 2005, Das Unternehmen in der Gesellschaft: die soziale Dimension der Nachhaltigkeit in Theorie und Praxis ; was leisten Schweizer Unternehmen?. Hildesheimer, G. (ed.). Zürich: Schweizerische Vereinigung für ökologisch bewußte Unternehmensführung, p. 69 1 p.

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

  5. Published

    Erfolgsrelevant: unternehmerische Nachhaltigkeit schaffen

    Schaltegger, S., 2008, In: Bankinformation. 35, 7, p. 22-25 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  6. Published
  7. Published
  8. Published

    Hydrological determination of groundwater drainage by Leaky Sewer Systems

    Wittenberg, H. & Brombach, H., 2002, ICWRER 2002. Proceedings of Third International Conference on Water Resources and Environment Research, Dresden, Germany, 22nd - 25th of July 2002 at Dresden University of Technology: Volume 2: Matter and particle transport in surface and subsurface flow, ecosystem research. Schmitz, G. H. (ed.). Dresden: Forum für Abfallwirtschaft und Altlasten, p. 138-143 6 p. ( Schriftenreihe des Institutes für Abfallwirtschaft und Altlasten Technische Universität Dresden; vol. 28).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearch

  9. Published

    Naturschutzkommunikation

    Adomßent, M., 2007, Handbuch Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation: Grundlagen und Praxis. Michelsen, G. & Godemann, J. (eds.). 2 ed. München: oekom verlag GmbH, p. 428-438 11 p.

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

  10. Published

    Umweltkommunikation in der Landwirtschaft: Bildung, Beratung und Partizipation für eine zukunftsfähige Landbewirtschaftung

    Adomßent, M., 2002, Landwirtschaft im Spektrum der Umweltwissenschaften. Hogenmüller, D., Smeddinck, U. & Tils, R. (eds.). Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, p. 42-58

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