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

    Green and Sustainable Extraction of Proteins from Agro-industrial Waste: An Overview and a Closer Look to Latin America

    Segatto, M. L., Stahl, A. M., Zanotti, K. & Zuin, V. G., 01.10.2022, In: Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry. 37, 100661.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  2. Published

    Recycling of organic residues to produce insulation composites: A review

    Schritt, H. & Pleissner, D., 01.12.2022, In: Cleaner Waste Systems. 3, 12 p., 100023.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    The 'need for speed': Towards circular disruption-What it is, how to make it happen and how to know it's happening

    Blomsma, F., Bauwens, T., Weissbrod, I. & Kirchherr, J., 03.2023, In: Business Strategy and the Environment. 32, 3, p. 1010-1031 22 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    From stories to maps: translating participatory scenario narratives into spatially explicit information

    Duguma, D. W., Schultner, J., Abson, D. J. & Fischer, J., 06.2022, In: Ecology and Society. 27, 2, 26 p., 13.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Resilience and coastal governance: knowledge and navigation between stability and transformation

    Rölfer, L., Celliers, L. & Abson, D. J., 01.06.2022, In: Ecology and Society. 27, 2, 15 p., 40.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Negotiating Sustainability Transitions: Why Does It Matter? What Are the Challenges? How to Proceed?

    Majer, J. M. & Troetschel, R., 15.07.2022, In: Sustainability. 14, 14, 5 p., 8691.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  7. Published

    Improving the end-of-life management of solar panels in Germany

    El-Khawad, L., Bartkowiak, D. & Kümmerer, K., 01.10.2022, In: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 168, 112678.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  8. Published

    Planetary Integrity

    Kotzé, L. J., Kim, R. E., Burdon, P., du Toit, L., Glass, L.-M., Kashwan, P., Liverman, D., Montesano, F. S., Rantala, S., Sénit, C.-A., Treyer, S. & Calzadilla, P. V., 31.07.2022, The Political Impact of the Sustainable Development Goals : Transforming Governance Through Global Goals?. Biermann, F., Hickmann, T. & Senit, C.-A. (eds.). Cambridge University Press, p. 140-171 32 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  9. Published

    Application of modern coexistence theory to rare plant restoration provides early indication of restoration trajectories

    Aoyama, L., Shoemaker, L. G., Gilbert, B., Collinge, S. K., Faist, A. M., Shackelford, N., Temperton, V. M., Barabás, G., Larios, L., Ladouceur, E., Godoy, O., Bowler, C. & Hallett, L. M., 01.10.2022, In: Ecological Applications. 32, 7, 14 p., e2649.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Teacher Education for Sustainable Development: A Review of an Emerging Research Field

    Fischer, D., King, J., Rieckmann, M., Barth, M., Büssing, A., Hemmer, I. & Lindau-Bank, D., 01.11.2022, In: Journal of Teacher Education. 73, 5, p. 509-524 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch