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

    Öffentliches und privates Recht am Beispiel des geplanten Bundesendlagers Gorleben

    Schomerus, T., 2003, Der Streit um Gorleben: Dokumentation einer Tagung der Evangelischen Akademie Loccum vom 21. bis 23. Januar 2000. Hofmann-Dally, A. (ed.). 1. ed. p. 123-139 17 p. (Loccumer Protokolle; vol. 2).

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

  2. Published

    Care economy: Nachhaltiges Wirtschaften aus feministischer Perspektive

    Gottschlich, D., 2008, Reale Utopien: Perspektiven für eine friedliche und gerechte Welt. p. 123-134 12 p.

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

  3. Published

    Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung

    Herzig, C. & Pianowski, M., 2008, Betriebliches Umweltmanagement: nachhaltiges Wirtschaften in Unternehmen. Baumast, A. (ed.). 3 ed. Stuttgart: Eugen-Ulmer-Verlag, p. 217-232 16 p.

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

  4. Published

    Wälder des Tieflandes und der Mittelgebirge: 41 Tabellen

    Härdtle, W., Ewald, J. & Hölzel, N., 2004, Stuttgart: Eugen-Ulmer-Verlag. 252 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Environmental Management Accounting for Staff Appraisal: Evidence from Australia, Germany and Japan

    Burritt, R., Schaltegger, S., Kokubu, K. & Wagner, M., 01.01.2003, Environmental management accounting: Purpose and Progress. Bennett, M., Rikhardsson, P. M. & Schaltegger, S. (eds.). Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers, p. 151-188 38 p. ( Eco-Efficiency in Industry and Science (ECOE); vol. 12).

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

  6. Published

    Einfluss maschineller Pflegemaßnahmen auf die Nährstoffdynamik von Sandheiden

    Sieber, M., Fottner, S., Niemeyer, T. & Härdtle, W., 2004, Feuer und Beweidung als Instrumente zur Erhaltung magerer Offenlandschaften in Nordwestdeutschland: Ökologische und sozioökonomische Grundlagen des Heidemanagements auf Sand- und Hochmoorstandorten. Keienburg, T. (ed.). Schneverdingen: Alfred Toepfer Akademie für Naturschutz, p. 92-107 16 p. (NNA-Berichte; vol. 17, no. 2).

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

  7. Published

    "Utopisches Gewissen" lässt sich "mit Schlecht-Vorhandenem nicht abspeisen": eine Einführung

    Gottschlich, D., Rolf, U., Wollek, E. & Werning, R., 2008, Reale Utopien: Perspektiven für eine friedliche und gerechte Welt. Avnery, U., Gottschlich, D., Rolf, U., Werning, R. & Wollek, E. (eds.). Köln: PapyRossa Verlag, p. 8-19 12 p.

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

  8. Published

    Zum Einfluss von Gleichaltrigen (Peers) auf die Persönlichkeitsentwicklung

    Salisch, M., 2000, Enzyklopädie der Psychologie: Themenbereich C, Ser. 8, Bd. 4: Determinanten individueller Unterschiede. Amelang, M., Birbaumer, N. & Graumann, C. F. (eds.). Göttingen [u.a.]: Hogrefe Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, p. 345-405 61 p.

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

  9. Published

    Die "Natur" der Wildnis: Annäherung an ein aktuelles Phänomen sozialer Ökologie

    Hofmeister, S., 2009, In: Zeitschrift für angewandte Umweltforschung. 19, 1/2, p. 104-116 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung: Meilensteine auf einem langen Weg

    Michelsen, G., 2006, Berufliche Bildung für nachhaltiges Wirtschaften: Konzepte, Curricula, Methoden, Beispiele . Tiemeyer, E. & Wilbers, K. (eds.). Bielefeld: WBV Bertelsmann Verlag, p. 17-32 16 p.

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