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. 2016
  2. Published

    Langzeiteffekte eines Online-Trainings zur Reduktion von depressiven Beschwerden für Personen mit Diabetes Mellitus Typ 1 und Typ 2: Ergebnisse einer randomisiert-klinischen Studie nach 12 Monaten

    Nobis, S., Lehr, D., Berking, M., Baumeister, H., Riper, H., Snoek, F. J. & Ebert, D. D., 04.2016, In: Diabetologie und Stoffwechsel. 11, S1, P89.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference abstract in journalResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Martin Hack, Energie-Contracting - Energiedienstleistungen und dezentrale Energieversorgung

    Schomerus, C.-T., 04.2016, In: Zeitschrift für das gesamte Recht der Energiewirtschaft EnWZ. 4/2016, p. Aktuell 10-11 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsCritical reviewsTransfer

  4. Published

    Medienökologien fürs Anthropozän

    Schrickel, I. & Stürmer, M., 04.2016, In: Zeitschrift für Medienwissenschaft. 14, 1, p. 180-185 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    The delay vector variance method and the recurrence quantification analysis of energy markets

    Fianu, E. S., 31.03.2016, In: International Journal of Energy and Statistics. 4, 1, 31 p., 1650001.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published
  7. Published

    Comparing the research-practice gap in management accounting: A view from professional accounting bodies in Australia and Germany

    Tucker, B. & Schaltegger, S., 21.03.2016, In: Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal. 29, 3, p. 362-400 39 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    A synthesis for everyone: 5 years of work in Romania

    Fischer, J., 16.03.2016

    Research output: other publicationsArticles in scientific forums or blogsResearch

  9. Published

    Benign by design: Benign by Design

    Kümmerer, K., 14.03.2016, Green and Sustainable Medicinal Chemistry: Methods, Tools and Strategies for the 21st Century Pharmaceutical Industry. Summerton, L., Sneddon, H. F., Jones, L. C. & Clark, J. H. (eds.). Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry, p. 73-81 9 p. (RSC Green Chemistry; vol. 2016-January, no. 46).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  10. Published

    Presence, fate and risks of pharmaceuticals in the environment

    Kümmerer, K., 14.03.2016, Green and Sustainable Medicinal Chemistry: Methods, Tools and Strategies for the 21st Century Pharmaceutical Industry. Summerton, L., Sneddon, H. F., Jones, L. C. & Clark, J. H. (eds.). Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry, p. 63-72 10 p. (RSC Green Chemistry; vol. 2016-January, no. 46).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  11. Published

    Impressions from a conference: sustainable land management

    Fischer, J., 08.03.2016

    Research output: other publicationsArticles in scientific forums or blogsResearch

  12. Published

    Hierarchy and respect

    Fischer, J., 03.03.2016

    Research output: other publicationsArticles in scientific forums or blogsResearch

  13. Published

    Business Models for Sustainability: Origins, Present Research, and Future Avenues

    Schaltegger, S., Hansen, E. G. & Lüdeke-Freund, F., 01.03.2016, In: Organization & Environment. 29, 1, p. 3-10 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  14. Published

    New Sediment Cores Reveal Environmental Changes Driven by Tectonic Processes at Ancient Helike, Greece

    Engel, M., Jacobson, K., Boldt, K., Frenzel, P., Katsonopoulou, D., Soter, S., Alvarez Zarikian, C. A. & Brückner, H., 01.03.2016, In: Geoarchaeology. 31, 2, p. 140-155 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  15. Published

    Organic farming affects the biological control of hemipteran pests and yields in spring barley independent of landscape complexity

    Birkhofer, K., Arvidsson, F., Ehlers, D., Mader, V. L., Bengtsson, J. & Smith, H. G., 01.03.2016, In: Landscape Ecology. 31, 3, p. 567-579 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  16. Published

    Reviving wood-pastures for biodiversity and people: A case study from western Estonia

    Roellig, M., Sutcliffe, L. M. E., Sammul, M., von Wehrden, H., Newig, J. & Fischer, J., 01.03.2016, In: Ambio. 45, 2, p. 185-195 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  17. Published

    The farmer as a landscape steward: Comparing local understandings of landscape stewardship, landscape values, and land management actions

    Raymond, C. M., Bieling, C., Fagerholm, N., Martin-Lopez, B. & Plieninger, T., 01.03.2016, In: Ambio. 45, 2, p. 173-184 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  18. Published

    Urban gardens promote bee foraging over natural habitats and plantations

    Kaluza, B. F., Wallace, H., Heard, T. A., Klein, A. M. & Leonhardt, S. D., 01.03.2016, In: Ecology and Evolution. 6, 5, p. 1304-1316 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  19. Published

    Utilization of protein-rich residues in biotechnological processes

    Pleissner, D. & Venus, J., 01.03.2016, In: Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 100, 5, p. 2133-2140 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  20. Published

    Die Verwendung von "Nachhaltigkeit" in deutschen Zeitungen: Ergebnisse einer empirischen Medienanalyse

    Fischer, D. & Haucke, F., 03.2016, Nachhaltigkeit und Journalismus : Erkenntnisse und Impulse aus Wissenschaft und Praxis. Michelsen, G. & Fischer, D. (eds.). Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 55-67 13 p. (Innovation in den Hochschulen ‐ Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 12).

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

  21. Published

    Fallstudie eines modellhaften Weiterbildungsprogramms für Journalist_innen: Zertifikatstudium Nachhaltigkeit und Journalismus

    Fischer, D., Marwege, R. & Michelsen, G., 03.2016, Nachhaltigkeit und Journalismus : Erkenntnisse und Impulse aus Wissenschaft und Praxis. Michelsen, G. & Fischer, D. (eds.). Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 81-94 14 p. (Innovation in den Hochschulen ‐ Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 12).

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