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

    Integration of risk-oriented environmental management information systems and resource planning systems

    Funk, B., Möller, A. & Niemeyer, P., 2007, Environmental Informatics and Systems Research: Volume1: Plenary and session papers. Hryniewicz, O., Studzinski, J., Romaniuk, M. & Szediw, A. (eds.). Aachen: Shaker Verlag, p. 545-552 8 p.

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

  2. Published

    An endangered longhorn beetle associated with old oaks and its possible role as an ecosystem engineer

    Buse, J., Ranius, T. & Aßmann, T., 01.04.2008, In: Conservation Biology. 22, 2, p. 329-337 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Halboffene Weidelandschaften in Deutschland: ein alternatives Konzept zu einer nachhaltigen Nutzung von Agrarlandschaften

    Härdtle, W., Mierwald, U., Behrends, T., Eischeid, I., Garniel, A., Grell, H., Haese, D., Schneider-Fenske, A. & Voigt, N., 2003, Grünlandmanagement nach Umsetzung der Agenda 2000 - Probleme und Perspektiven für Landwirtschaft und Naturschutz: Grassland management after translation of the Agenda 2000 into action - problems and perspectives for agriculture and nature conservation -. Büchs, W. (ed.). Berlin: Parey Verlag , p. 135-141 7 p. (Mitteilungen aus der Biologischen Bundesanstalt für Land- und Forstwirtschaft; no. 393).

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

  4. Published

    NGOs: Promoters of Sustainable Entrepreneurship?

    Petersen, H. & Schaltegger, S., 01.01.2001, Proceddings of the International Transdisciplinarity 2000 Conference: 'Transdisciplinarity: joint problem-solving among science, technology and society', Zurich, February 27 - March 1, 2000: Workbook 1: Dialogue sessions and idea market. Häberli, R. (ed.). Basel: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, p. 523-527 5 p.

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

  5. Published
  6. Published

    Energiemanagement: eine Herausforderung für die Umweltplanung

    Hofmeister, S., 2000, In: UVP-Report. 14, 1, p. 8-13 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  7. Published

    Buchenwälder und Klimawandel

    Manthey, M., Leuschner, C. & Härdtle, W., 2007, In: Natur und Landschaft. 82, 9/10, p. 441-445 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  8. Published

    "Macht-los?": zwischen Partizipation und Eigensinn

    Mölders, T. & Winterfeld, U., 2003, Zwischentöne gestalten: Dialoge zur Verbindung von Geschlechterverhältnissen und Nachhaltigkeit. Hofmeister, S., Mölders, T. & Karsten, M. E. (eds.). Bielefeld: Kleine Verlag, p. 178-197 20 p.

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

  9. Published

    Ökonomische Aspekte der Biodiversität

    Baumgärtner, S. & Becker, C., 2008, Biodiversität. Lanzerath, D., Mutke, J., Barthlott, W., Baumgärtner, S., Becker, C. & Spranger, T. M. (eds.). Freiburg [u.a.]: Verlag Karl Alber, p. 75-115 41 p. (Ethik in den Biowissenschaften - Sachstandsberichte des DRZE; vol. 5).

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

  10. Published

    Towards combined methods for recording ground beetles: pitfall traps, hand picking and sifting in Mediterranean habitats of Israel

    Timm, A., Levanony, T., Dayan, T., Wrase, D. W. & Aßmann, T., 2008, Back to the roots and back to the future: Towards a new synthesis amongst taxonomic, ecological and biogeographical approaches in carabidology. Penev, L., Erwin, T. & Assmann, T. (eds.). Pensoft Publishers Ltd., p. 397-408 12 p. ( Pensoft series faunistica; no. 75).

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