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

    Außerschulisches Lernen und nachhaltige Entwicklung

    Stoltenberg, U., 2008, Schule außerhalb der Schule: Lehren und Lernen an außerschulischen Orten. Burk, K., Rauterberg, M. & Schönknecht, G. (eds.). Frankfurt am Main: Arbeitskreis Grundschule des Grundschulverbands e.V., p. 73-84 12 p.

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

  2. Published

    Perspektivrahmen Sachunterricht

    Stoltenberg, U., 2007, Handbuch Didaktik des Sachunterrichts. Kahlert, J. & Reeken, D. (eds.). Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt, p. 75-79 5 p.

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

  3. Published

    Naturbilder, von der Vorstellung zum Handeln

    Weiland, S. & Mölders, T., 2007, Agrarpolitik im 21. Jahrhundert: Wahrnehmungen, Konflikte, Verständigungsbedarf. Feindt, P. H. & Lange, J. (eds.). p. 203-212 10 p. (Loccumer Protokolle; vol. 30, no. 07).

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

  4. Published

    Behavioural patterns of nocturnal carabid beetles determined by direct observations under red-light conditions

    Drees, C., Matern, A. & Aßmann, T., 2008, Back to the roots and back to the future: Towards a New Synthesis Between Taxonomic, Ecological and Biogeographical Approaches in Carabidology. Penev, L., Erwin, T. L. & Assmann, T. (eds.). Pensoft Publishers Ltd., p. 409-423 15 p. (Pensoft series faunistica).

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

  5. Published

    Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung in der vorschulischen Bildung

    Adomßent, M. & Rieckmann, M., 2006, 25 Jahre Naturschutzakademie: 1981 - 2006: Zukunft durch Naturschutz. Strohschneider, R. (ed.). Schneverdingen: Alfred Toepfer Akademie für Naturschutz, Vol. 1. p. 30-32 3 p. (Mitteilungen der Alfred Toepfer Akademie für Naturschutz; vol. 17, no. 1).

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

  6. Published

    Drei Gesetze - ein Anspruch: das Recht auf Informationszugang nach IFG, UIG und VIG

    Schomerus, T., 2009, Internationales Symposium Informationsfreiheit und Datenschutz, Zugang zu Umweltinformationen - Informationsfreiheit für den Umweltschutz?. p. 49-79 31 p.

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

  7. Published

    Mehr als nur Begleitmusik: nachhaltige Entwicklung aus kulturwissenschaftlicher Perspektive

    Kuhn, K., 2005, In: Politische Ökologie. 94, Werte schöpfen, p. 78-79 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  8. Published

    Am selbstverdienstlichsten ist es, über das zu reden, was ist: Ärger in der Freundschaft und Selbstwert-Entwicklung im Jugendalter

    Salisch, M., Oppl, C. & Vogelsang, J., 31.01.2002, Wege zum Selbst: Soziale Herausforderungen für Kinder und Jugendliche. Uhlendorff, H., Oswald, H. & Azmitia, M. (eds.). Stuttgart: Lucius & Lucius, p. 135-155 21 p.

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

  9. Published

    Starke Nachhaltigkeit fordert eine Ökonomie der (Re)Produktivität: der Beitrag des Schlüsselbegriffs Naturproduktivität zur Fundierung einer Theorie der Nachhaltigkeit

    Biesecker, A. & Hofmeister, S., 2009, Die Greifswalder Theorie starker Nachhaltigkeit: Ausbau, Anwendung, Kritik. Egan-Krieger, T., Schultz, J., Thapa, P. P. & Voget, L. (eds.). Marburg: Metropolis Verlag für Ökonomie, p. 169-192 24 p.

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

  10. Published

    Im Namen der Natur! Welcher Natur? Naturverständnisse und -verhältnisse bei ausgewählten Natur- und Umweltschutzverbänden

    Mölders, T., Katz, C. & Unterreiner, S., 2004, Naturverständnisse in der Nachhaltigkeitsforschung. Rink, D. & Wächter, M. (eds.). Frankfurt [u.a.]: Campus Verlag, p. 173-202 31 p.

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