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. 2017
  2. Published

    Sustainability-Oriented Business Model Assessment—A Conceptual Foundation

    Lüdeke-Freund, F., Freudenreich, B., Schaltegger, S., Saviuc, I. & Stock, M., 2017, Analytics, Innovation, and Excellence-Driven Enterprise Sustainability. Carayannis, E. G. & Sindakis, S. (eds.). New York: Palgrave Macmillan, p. 169-206 38 p. (Palgrave studies in democracy, innovation, and entrepreneurship for growth).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Sustainable Development: Special Issue: Innovative measurement approaches for corporate sustainability

    Álvarez-Etxeberria, I. (Editor), Ortas, E. (Editor) & Schaltegger, S. (Editor), 2017, Bradford, West Yorkshire: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. 55 p. (Sustainable Development; vol. 25, no. 2)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesSpecial Journal issueResearch

  4. Published

    The glocal curriculum: a practical guide to teaching and learning in an Interconnected world

    John, B., Caniglia, G., Bellina, L., Lang, D. J. & Laubichler, M., 2017, Baden Baden: [sic!] Verlag für kritische Ästhetik. 189 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  5. Published

    Training sessions fostering transdisciplinary collaboration for sustainable development: Albania and Kosovo case studies

    Meyer, J., Mader, M., Zimmermann, F. & Çabiri, K., 2017, In: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. 18, 5, p. 738-757 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Umwelt- und Nachhaltigkeitsthemen für die breite Masse: Nachhaltigkeit in Internetunternehmen

    Kern, E., 2017, 47. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft fur Informatik, Informatik 2017. Eibl, M. & Gaedke, M. (eds.). Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V., p. 1973-1984 12 p. (Lecture Notes in Informatics (LNI), Proceedings - Series of the Gesellschaft fur Informatik (GI); vol. 275).

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

  7. Published

    UNESCO Chair in Higher Education for Sustainable Development

    Michelsen, G., Adomßent, M., Mader, M. & Sundermann, A., 2017, Scientific Research for Sustainable Development: UNESCO Chairs in Germany. Römer, K. (ed.). Bonn: German Commission for UNESCO, p. 65-70 6 p.

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

  8. Published

    Unternehmerische Freiheit endogen verwirklichen

    Petersen, H., 2017, Unternehmen der Gesellschaft : Interdisziplinäre Beiträge zu einer kritischen Theorie des Unternehmens . F. U. U. G. O. (ed.). Marburg: Metropolis Verlag, p. 205-230 26 p. (Theorie der Unternehmung; vol. 65).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published
  10. Published

    Urbane Regenwasserversickerung als Eintragspfad für biozide Wirkstoffe in das Grundwasser?

    Lange, J., Olsson, O., Jackisch, N., Weber, T., Hensen, B., Zieger, F., Schütz, T. & Kümmerer, K., 2017, In: Korrespondenz Wasserwirtschaft. 10, 4, p. 198 - 202 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Value Creation Architectures for the Circular Economy: A Make-or-Buy Analysis in the Smartphone Industry

    Revellio, F. & Hansen, E. G., 2017, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 48 p.

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  12. Published
  13. Published

    Vielperspektivität auch in der Forschung? Beobachtungen zur Entwicklung der Sachunterrichtsforschung im Rahmen eines "Systematic Reviews"

    Barth, M., Bruhn, K., Bürgener, L., Edelhoff, S. H., Richter, S. & Freund, E. K., 2017, Vielperspektivität im Sachunterricht. Giest, H., Hartinger, A. & Tänzer, S. (eds.). Bad Heilbrunn: Verlag Julius Klinkhardt, Vol. 27. p. 40 - 48 9 p. (Probleme und Perspektiven des Sachunterrichts).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  14. Published

    Vom Recht auf Garten: Aneignung urbaner Freiräume als Kritik und Vision gesellschaftlicher Raum-verhältnisse

    Mölders, T. & Kühnemann, P., 2017, Aneignung urbaner Freiräume : Ein Diskurs über städtischen Raum. Hauck, T., Hennecke, S. & Körner, S. (eds.). 1 ed. Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 281-301 21 p. (Urban studies ).

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

  15. Published

    Vorwort

    Hofmeister, S., 2017, Politiken der Naturgestaltung: Ländliche Entwicklung und Agro-Gentechnik zwischen Kritik und Vision. Gottschlich, D. & Tanja, M. (eds.). 1 ed. Wiesbaden: Springer VS, p. 7-9 3 p.

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

  16. Published

    Warum wir Tiere essen (obwohl wir sie mögen): Sozialpsychologische Erklärungsansätze für das Fleischparadox

    Frank, P., 2017, In: Psychosozial. 40, 148, p. 49-69 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  17. Published

    Was wollen Kinder und Jugendliche in Bezug auf Nachhaltigkeit und Konsum wissen, wie kommunizieren sie und wie informieren sie sich? Eine Literaturanalyse

    Fischer, D., Grunenberg, H. & Ruckelshauß, T., 2017, Lüneburg: Universität Lüneburg, Institut für Umweltkommunikation (INFU), 45 p. (INFU-Diskussionsbeiträge; no. 40).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  18. 2016
  19. Published

    Sustainability of Off-Grid Photovoltaic Systems for Rural Electrification in Developing Countries: A Review

    Feron, S., 19.12.2016, In: Sustainability. 8, 12, p. 1-26 26 p., 1326.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  20. Published

    Valorization of organic residues for the production of added value chemicals: A contribution to the bio-based economy

    Pleissner, D., Qi, Q., Gao, C., Rivero, C. P., Webb, C., Lin, C. S. K. & Venus, J., 15.12.2016, In: Biochemical Engineering Journal. 116, p. 3-16 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  21. Published

    A new valuation school: Integrating diverse values of nature in resource and land use decisions

    Jacobs, S., Dendoncker, N., Martín-López, B., Barton, D. N., Gomez-Baggethun, E., Boeraeve, F., McGrath, F. L., Vierikko, K., Geneletti, D., Sevecke, K. J., Pipart, N., Primmer, E., Mederly, P., Schmidt, S., Aragão, A., Baral, H., Bark, R. H., Briceno, T., Brogna, D., Cabral, P., De Vreese, R., Liquete, C., Mueller, H., Peh, K. S. H., Phelan, A., Rincón, A. R., Rogers, S. H., Turkelboom, F., Van Reeth, W., van Zanten, B. T., Wam, H. K. & Washbourn, C. L., 01.12.2016, In: Ecosystem Services. 22, Part B, p. 213-220 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  22. Published

    A synthesis of convergent reflections, tensions and silences in linking gender and global environmental change research

    Iniesta-Arandia, I., Ravera, F., Buechler, S., Díaz-Reviriego, I., Fernández-Giménez, M. E., Reed, M. G., Thompson-Hall, M., Wilmer, H., Aregu, L., Cohen, P., Djoudi, H., Lawless, S., Martín-López, B., Smucker, T., Villamor, G. B. & Wangui, E. E., 01.12.2016, In: Ambio. 45, Supplement 3, p. 383-393 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review