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

    How do professional designers engage with sustainability? A systematic literature review

    Mejía, G. M., Fischer, D., Silver, J., Xie, Y. & Fehler, M., 01.01.2022, In: Journal of Design Research. 20, 4, p. 297-317 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  2. Published

    Rezension: Philip Wallmeier, 2021, Rückzug als Widerstand. Dissidente Lebensformen in der globalen Politik

    Möller, S., 01.12.2022, In: Ökologisches Wirtschaften. 37, 4, p. 53-54 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsCritical reviewsResearch

  3. Published

    Prosumer – zwischen Energiesuffizienz und Rebound-Effekten: Klimawirkungen sich verändernder Haushaltsverbrauchmuster in Deutschland

    Ouanes, N., Kegel, J., Wiesenthal, J., Lenk, C., Bluhm, H., Weiß, J. & Torliene, L., 18.07.2022, In: Zeitschrift fur Technikfolgenabschatzung in Theorie und Praxis / Journal for Technology Assessment in Theory and Practice. 31, 2, p. 18-24 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Should Alexander von Humboldt Be Part of Contemporary Geography Education?

    Hoffmann, T., 01.01.2022, Alexander von Humboldt: Multiperspective Approaches. Falk, G. C., Strecker, M. R. & Schneider, S. (eds.). Springer International Publishing AG, p. 137-153 17 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  5. Published

    Green and Sustainable Extraction of High-Value Compounds: Protein from Food Supply Chain Waste

    Zanotti, K., Stahl, A. M., Segatto, M. L. & Zuin, V. G., 29.03.2022, Sustainable Separation Engineering: Materials, Techniques and Process Development. Szekely, G. & Zhao, D. (eds.). Wiley-VCH Verlag, p. 63-104 42 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  6. Published

    Naturaleza en lienzo: narraciones sobre relaciones humanos-naturaleza usando métodos basados en arte en La Paz, Bolivia

    Benavides-Frias, C., Ortiz-Przychodzka, S. & Schaal, T., 30.09.2022, In: Letras Verdes. 32, 32, p. 67-87 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Zeit nachhaltig gestalten lernen: Schulschließungenals verpasste Chance?

    Fischer, D., Grauer, C. & Frank, P., 01.07.2022, In: Das Zeitpolitische Magazin. 19, 40, p. 26-28 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsTransfer

  8. Published

    Effects of pesticide application and plant sexual identity on leaf physiological traits and phyllosphere bacterial communities

    Zhu, Z., He, Y., Xu, J., Zhou, Z., Kumar, A. & Xia, Z., 01.04.2023, In: Journal of Plant Ecology. 16, 2, 12 p., rtac084.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  9. Published

    The influence of sustainability knowledge and attitude on sustainable intention and behaviour of Malaysian and Indonesian undergraduate students

    Saleh, M. S. M., Mehellou, A., Huang, M. & Briandana, R., 12.2022, In: Research in Comparative and International Education. 17, 4, p. 677-693 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  10. Published

    Sustainability Competencies in Higher Education

    Michel, J. O., Brundiers, K., Barth, M., Fischer, D., Mochizuki, Y., Redman, A. & Zint, M., 22.09.2022, The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Urban and Regional Futures. Brears, R. (ed.). Palgrave Macmillan, p. 1-6 6 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticles for encyclopediaResearch