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

    Management in neuem Licht

    Figge, F. & Horst, D., 2002, In: UmweltMagazin. 3, p. 42-44 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  2. Published

    Ecopreneurship and Competitive Strategies: Striving for Market Leadership by Promoting Sustainability

    Petersen, H., 2006, Managing the Business Case for Sustainability: The Integration of Social, Environmental and Economic Performance. Schaltegger, S. & Wagner, M. (eds.). Sheffield: Greenleaf Publishing, p. 398-411 14 p.

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

  3. Published

    Sustainability, Substance Flow Management and Time: Part I: Temporal Analysis of Substance Flows

    Kümmerer, K. & Hofmeister, S., 09.2008, In: Journal of Environmental Management. 88, 4, p. 1333-1342 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published
  5. Published

    Vorsorgendes Hochwassermanagement im Wandel: ein sozial-ökologisches Raumkonzept für den Umgang mit Hochwasser

    Kruse, S., 01.01.2010, 1 ed. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. 261 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  6. Published

    Von der Notwendigkeit interdisziplinär ausgerichteter Studienangebote

    Fischer, A. & Michelsen, G., 2000, Sustainable university: auf dem Weg zu einem universitären Agendaprozess. Michelsen, G. (ed.). Frankfurt a.M.: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 153-179 27 p.

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

  7. Published

    Naturschutz in Deutschland: Ziele, Herausforderungen, Lösungen

    Schreiner, J., 2007, Handbuch Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation: Grundlagen und Praxis. Michelsen, G. & Godemann, J. (eds.). München: oekom verlag GmbH, p. 387-396 10 p.

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

  8. Published

    Occurrence and Air-sea exchange of phthalates in the Arctic

    Xie, Z., Ebinghaus, R., Temme, C., Lohmann, R., Caba, A. & Ruck, W., 01.07.2007, In: Environmental Science & Technology. 41, 13, p. 4555-4560 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Pädagogik und Zwang, Minderjährigenrechte und Freiheitsschutz

    Plewig, H.-J., 2007, In: Zeitschrift für Jugendkriminalrecht und Jugendhilfe. 18, 4, p. 428-429 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsCritical reviewsResearch

  10. Published

    Freiwilligkeit und Zwang: Einführung in den Schwerpunkt

    Plewig, H.-J., 2007, In: Zeitschrift für Jugendkriminalrecht und Jugendhilfe. 18, 4, p. 356-357 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch