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

    (Re)Produktivität: der "blinde Fleck" im Diskurs zu Nachhaltiger Entwicklung

    Biesecker, A. & Hofmeister, S., 2003, Zwischentöne gestalten: Dialoge zur Verbindung von Geschlechterverhältnissen und Nachhaltigkeit. Hofmeister, S., Mölders, T. & Karsten, M. E. (eds.). Bielefeld: Kleine Verlag, p. 38-56 19 p.

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

  2. Published

    Kyoto ist anderswo: zwischen Interdisziplinarität und Nachhaltigkeit

    Möller, A. & Bornemann, B., 01.02.2005, In: Informatik-Spektrum. 28, 1, p. 15-23 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Encouraging environmentally sustainable holiday travel

    Böhler, S., Grischkat, S., Haustein, S. & Hunecke, M., 01.10.2006, In: Transportation Research, Part A: Policy and Practice. 40, 8, p. 652-670 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Konkurrenz im Wald? Populationsbiologische Untersuchungen an Carabus-Arten in der Lüneburger Heide (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

    Aßmann, T. & Günther, J., 2000, Westdeutscher Entomologentag Düsseldorf: Verhandlungen. Löser, S. (ed.). Düsseldorf: Entomologische Gesellschaft Düsseldorf e.V., p. 111-123 13 p.

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

  5. Published

    Biodiversitätsforschung im Wald

    Anders, S., Ellenberg, H., Hertel, H., Hofmann, G., Jenssen, M., Heuveldop, J., Kriebitzsch, W. U., Oheimb, G., Schmidt, M. & Scholz, F., 2002, In: Forschungsreport Verbraucherschutz, Ernährung, Landwirtschaft. 26, 2, p. 17-21 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  6. Published
  7. Published

    "Typische Gefäßpflanzenarten" des Waldes in Deutschland

    Ellenberg, H. & Oheimb, G., 2002, Biologische Vielfalt mit der Land- und Forstwirtschaft: Symposium der Arbeitsgruppe "Ökosysteme/Ressourcen" des Senats der Bundesforschungsanstalten im Geschäftsbereich des BMVEL vom 15. - 17. Mai 2001 im Forum der Bundesforschungsanstalt für Landwirtschaft (FAL), Braunschweig-Völkenrode. Welling, M. (ed.). Deutscher Landwirtschaftsverlag GmbH, p. 333-336 4 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsResearch

  8. Published

    Environmental assessment in Tsunami-affected Andaman Islands, INDIA

    Purvaja, R., Ramesh, R. & Urban, B., 2006, Shaping the earth's surface: dynamics and changing environments: International Conference 2006 and 96th Annual Meeting of the Geologische Vereinigung E.V., September 25-29, 2006, Postdam, Germany : Programme and Abstracts. Safaricz, M. (ed.). Berlin: GeoUnion Alfred-Wegener-Stiftung, p. 82 1 p. (Terra Nostra: Schriften der GeoUnion Alfred-Wegener-Stiftung; no. 03/2006).

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

  9. Published

    Wichtige Einflussfaktoren auf die Gefäßpflanzen-Artenvielfalt von Wäldern

    Schmidt, M., Ellenberg, H., Heuveldop, J., Kriebitzsch, W.-U. & Oheimb, G., 2002, Treffpunkt biologische Vielfalt II: Aktuelle Forschung im Rahmen des Übereinkommens über die biologische Vielfalt vorgestellt auf einer wissenschaftlichen Expertentagung an der Internationalen Naturschutzakademie Insel Vilm vom 23. bis 27. Juli 2001.. Korn, H. & Feit, U. (eds.). Bonn-Bad Godesberg: Bundesamt für Naturschutz, p. 113-118 6 p.

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

  10. Published

    Humanökologie und Urbanisierung: die DGH-Jahrestagung 2009 im Rahmen der Konferenz der Society for Human Ecology

    Franz-Balsen, A., Glaeser, B., Katz, C., Serbser, W., Stoll-Kleemann, S., Teherani-Krönner, P., Tretter, F. & Vega-Leinert, C., 10.12.2009, In: GAIA. 18, 4, p. 346-348 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review