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

    Urban catalysts - temporäre Brachflächen als Potenzial der nachhaltigen Stastentwicklung

    Kruse, S., 2002, In: Ipublic. 4, p. 50-54 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  2. Published

    Schalenwild breitet Gefäßpflanzen in der mitteleuropäischen Kulturlandschaft aus: ein erster Überblick

    Heinken, T., Oheimb, G., Schmidt, M., Kriebitzsch, W.-U. & Ellenberg, H., 2005, In: Natur und Landschaft. 80, 4, p. 141-147 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Survival at river banks: power of dispersal and population structure of Elaphrus aureus and Omophron limbatum in north-western Germany (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

    Hölscher, B., Kerstin-Prüssner, F., Aßmann, T. & Günther, J., 2004, Vorträge der Entomologentagung in Halle, Saale : vom 24. bis 28. März 2003. Mossakowski, D. & Bathon, H. (eds.). Gießen: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Allgemeine und Angewandte Entomologie , p. 517-520 4 p. (Mitteilungen der Deutschen Gesellschaft für allegemeine und angewandte Entomologie; vol. 14, no. 1-6).

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

  4. Published

    Ecopreneure haben eine Schlüsselrolle

    Petersen, H. & Schaltegger, S., 2002, In: Umwelt-Focus. 6, p. 13-15 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  5. Published

    Klafki macht Sinn

    Stoltenberg, U., 03.2005, In: www.widerstreit-sachunterricht.de. 2005, 4, p. 1-5 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  6. Published

    Kolonisation restituierter Sandrasen im Darmstädter Flugsandgebiet und im mittleren Emsland durch Laufkäfer

    Persigehl, M., Lehmann, S., Vermeulen, H. J., Rosenkranz, B., Falke, B. & Aßmann, T., 2004, Beweidung und Restitution als Chancen für den Naturschutz?. Strohschneider, R. (ed.). Schneverdingen: Alfred Toepfer Akademie für Naturschutz, p. 161-177 17 p. (NNA-Berichte; vol. 17, no. 1).

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

  7. Published

    Struktur von Laufkäfer-Gemeinschaften (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in größtenteils beweideten Sandfluren des Emslandes

    Lehmann, S., Persigehl, M., Rosenkranz, B., Falke, B., Aßmann, T. & Günther, J., 2004, Beweidung und Restitution als Chancen für den Naturschutz?: SÖB, BMBF-Projekt: Sand-Ökosysteme im Binnenland: Dynamik und Restitution . Strohschneider, R. (ed.). Schneverdingen: Alfred Toepfer Akademie für Naturschutz, p. 147-159 13 p. (NNA-Berichte; vol. 17, no. 1).

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

  8. Published

    International Master’s Programme in Sustainable Development and Management: Volume 2: Introduction to Sustainable Development

    Michelsen, G. (Editor) & Rieckmann, M. (Editor), 2008, 1. ed. Frankfurt am Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften. 114 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  9. Published

    Heuschrecken-Gemeinschaften aus Sandrasen im Emsland (Nordwest-Deutschland): Beweidung und Restitution als Instrumente zum Schutz von Sandrasenökosystemen

    Persigehl, M. & Aßmann, T., 2004, Weidelandschaften und Wildnisgebiete: vom Experiment zur Praxis ; Referate und Ergebnisse der gleichnamigen Fachtagung an der Universität Lüneburg vom 23. - 26. September 2003. Finck, P., Härdtle, W., Redecker, B. & Riecken, U. (eds.). Münster: BfN-Schriftenvertrieb im Landwirtschaftsverlag, p. 111-118 8 p. (Schriftenreihe für Landschaftspflege und NaturschutzHeft; vol. 78).

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

  10. Published

    Laufkäfer-Gemeinschaften (Coleoptera, Carabidae) xerothermer Sandrasen und ihre Abhängigkeit von Beweidungsmaßnahmen

    Lehmann, S., Persigehl, M., Rosenkranz, B., Falke, B., Aßmann, T. & Günther, J., 02.2005, Weidelandschaften und Wildnisgebiete: Vom Experiment zur Praxis. Finck, P., Härdtle, W., Redecker, B. & Rickken, U. (eds.). Münster: BfN-Schriftenvertrieb im Landwirtschaftsverlag, p. 119-128 10 p. (Schriftenreihe für Landschaftspflege und Naturschutz; vol. 78).

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