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

    Realisierungspotenziale kooperativen Lernens mit Hilfe virtueller Kommunikation

    Adomßent, M., 01.06.2001, In: Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. Zeitschrift für Angewandte Organisationspsychologie. 32, 2, p. 161-175 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Umweltökonomie

    Gschwendtner, H., 01.01.2000, Wirtschaftswissenschaften. Schaltegger, S. (ed.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer, p. 5-69 65 p. (Studium der Umweltwissenschaften).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapter

  3. Published

    Grundlagen der Umweltpolitik

    Gschwendtner, H., 01.01.2000, Wirtschaftswissenschaften. Schaltegger, S. (ed.). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer, p. 71-110 40 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapter

  4. Published

    Plant species diversity and endemism on islands and archipelagos, with special reference to the Macaronesian Islands

    Hobohm, C., 01.01.2000, In: Flora. 195, 1, p. 9-24 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Scientific consensus on sustainability: The case of the natural step

    Upham, P., 2000, In: Sustainable Development. 8, 4, p. 180-190 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Lokale Agenda 21 / Akteure und Aktionen in Deutschland und Italien. Agenda 21 locale / Attori ed azioni in Germania ed in Italia

    Stoltenberg, U. (Editor) & Nora, E. (Editor), 2000, Frankfurt/Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften. 293 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesConference proceedingsResearch

  7. Published

    Lebenswelt Hochschule: Raum-Bildung, Konsum-Muster und Kommunikation für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung

    Stoltenberg, U. (Editor), 2000, Frankfurt/Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften. 181 p. (Reihe Innovationen in den Hochschulen – Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 2)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesConference proceedingsResearch

  8. Published

    A world of abundance

    McDonough, W. & Braungart, M., 01.06.2000, In: Interfaces. 30, 3, p. 55-65 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Umweltbildung - den Möglichkeitssinn wecken: Beiträge aus der Ringvorlesung an der Universität Lüneburg

    Stoltenberg, U. (Editor) & Strohschneider, R. (Editor), 1999, Schneverdingen: Alfred Toepfer Akademie für Naturschutz. 58 p. (NNA-Berichte; vol. 12, no. 1)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesConference proceedingsResearch

  10. Published

    Methoden der Umweltbildungsforschung

    Bolscho, D. (Editor) & Michelsen, G. (Editor), 1999, Wiesbaden: Westdeutscher Verlag. 270 p. (Schriftenreihe "Okologie und Erziehungswissenschaft" der Arbeitsgruppe "Umweltbildung" der Deutschen Gesellschaft fur Erziehungswissenschaft; vol. 3)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesConference proceedingsResearch