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

    Kompetenzen & Hochschulbildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung

    Barth, M. & Busch, A., 2008, Internationaler Masterstudiengang 'Sustainable Development and Management': Band1: Handbuch für den Masterstudiengang. Michelsen, G., Barkin, D. & Rieckmann, M. (eds.). Frankfurt am Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 245-262 18 p. (Innovationen in den Hochschulen - Nachhaltige Entwicklung).

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

  2. Published

    Determination of pesticide fluxes in beech forests

    Bernhardt, A., Palm, W.-U. & Ruck, W., 2002, Slowly degradable organics in the atmospheric environment and air-sea exchange: Proceedings of the international Workshop 26 September 2001. Lammel, G. (ed.). Hamburg: Max-Planck Institut für Meteorologie, p. 29-32 4 p.

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

  3. Published

    T-Shirts auf dem Campus: neue Methode der Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation an der Uni

    Stoltenberg, U., 2005, In: Umwelt & Bildung. 7, 3, p. 18-20 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  4. Published

    Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung: ein motivierendes Konzept

    Stoltenberg, U., 2006, In: Zeitschrift für Nachhaltigkeit. 3, p. 25-27 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  5. Published

    Spiele(n) mit geringsten Mitteln: Kinder erfinden aus Alltagsmaterialien eigenes Spielzeug und eigene Spiele

    Asmussen, S., 2009, In: Grundschule Sachunterricht. 42, p. 24-26 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  6. Published

    Relict populations in ancient woodlands: genetic differentiation, variability, and power of dispersal of Carabus glabratus (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in north-western Germany

    Aßmann, T. & Günther, J., 2000, Natural history and applied ecology of carabid beetles: Proceedings of the IX European Carabidiologists Meeting, Cosenza, Italy, 26-31 July, 1998 (Pensoft Series Faunistica, 19) . Casale, A. (ed.). Pensoft Publishers Ltd., p. 197-206 10 p.

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

  7. Published
  8. Published

    Vorstudie: Universitäte und universitätsübergreifende Vorraussetzungen für Nachwuchsförderung im Themenfeld "Gender und Nachhaltigkeit"

    Hofmeister, S., Karsten, M.-E., Kägi, S., Katz, C., Mölders, T., Walther, K. & Weller, I., 2003, Sozial-ökologische Forschung: Ergebnisse der Sondierungsprojekte aus dem BMBF-Förderschwerpunkt . Balzer, I. (ed.). München: oekom verlag GmbH, p. 539-550 12 p.

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

  9. Published

    Wo kommt unser Spielzeug her? Herstellungsbedingungen von Spielzeug als Bildungsanlass im Sachunterricht

    Gottmann, T. & Wagner, B., 2009, In: Grundschule Sachunterricht. 42, p. 30-35 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  10. Published

    Multilayer structural colours in Poecilus lepidus (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

    Mossakowski, D., Paarmann, W., Rohe, W., Lüchtrath, I. & 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. L. & Assmann, T. (eds.). Pensoft Publishers Ltd., Vol. 75. p. 175-184 10 p. (Pensoft series faunistica; vol. 75).

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