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

    Can prescribed burning compensate for atmospheric nutrient loads in wet heathlands?

    Haerdtle, W., Niemeyer, T., Assmann, T., Meyer, H. & von Oheimb, G., 20.06.2007, In: Phytocoenologia. 37, 2, p. 161-174 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published
  3. Published

    Rekonstruktion pleistozäner und holozäner Landschafts- und Klimageschichte im nördlichen Mitteleuropa mithilfe limnisch-telmatischer und terrestrischer Sediment- und Bodenabfolgen

    Urban, B., 2002, Geo 2002 - Planet Erde: Vergangenheit, Entwicklung, Zukunft: Programm und Kurzfassungen der Tagung vom 1.-5. Oktober 2002 in Würzburg . Niebuhr, B. (ed.). Hannover: Deutsche Geologische Gesellschaft – Geologische Vereinigung, p. 336-337 2 p. (Schriftenreihe der Deutschen Geologischen Gesellschaft; vol. 21).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Wie Nachhaltigkeit den Unternehmenserfolg steigert

    Schaltegger, S. & Lüdeke-Freund, F., 2009, In: IO new management. 78, 9, p. 12-15 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  5. Published

    Inter- und transdisziplinäre Nachhaltigkeitsforschung: Herausforderungen und Perspektiven aus der Sicht von Nachwuchswissenschaftlern

    Herzig, C., Freier, I. & Sieben, D., 2005, In: Umweltwirtschaftsforum. 13, 4, p. 6-9 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Grundwasser- und Bodenschutz im niedersächsischen Elbetal: ein Beitrag zum Flussgebietsmanagement

    Urban, B., 2002, Wechselwirkungen zwischen Grundwasserleitern und Oberflächengewässern: Beiträge zum Tag der Hydrologie 2002 ; 20. bis 22. März 2002 in Suderburg, Lüneburger Heide . Wittenberg, H. & Schöniger, M. (eds.). Hennef: GFA - Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Abwassertechnik, p. 194 1 p. (Forum für Hydrologie und Wasserbewirtschaftung; vol. H.1, no. 02).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Corporate Volunteering in Germany: Survey and Empirical Evidence

    Herzig, C., 23.06.2006, In: International Journal of Business Environment. 1, 1, p. 51-69 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Produktbezogene Carbon Footprints in ERP-Systemen

    Funk, B., Möller, A. & Niemeyer, P., 2008, Konzepte, Anwendungen, Realisierungen und Entwicklungstendenzen betrieblicher Umweltinformationssysteme (BUIS). Wohlgemuth, V. (ed.). Aachen: Shaker Verlag, p. 67-76 10 p.

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

  9. Published

    Aggressives Verhalten und (neue) Medien

    Salisch, M., Kristen, A. & Oppl, C., 30.03.2005, Aggressionsentwicklung zwischen Normalität und Pathologie. Seiffge-Krenke, I. (ed.). Göttingen: Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht GmbH and Co. KG, p. 198-237 40 p.

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

  10. Published

    Manual for Analysis of Soils and Related Materials

    Urban, B., 2002, Sustainable Water and Soil Management. Kunst, S., Kruse, T. & Burmester, A. (eds.). Berlin [u.a.]: Springer, p. 321-369 49 p.

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