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. 2013
  2. Published

    Ecological impact of Camelia sativa and Thlaspi arvense cultivation in a summer double cropping system in Northern Germany

    Walmsley, D. & Klein, A.-M., 2013, Building bridges in ecology, linking systems, scales and disciplines: Book of Abstracts . Gehrmann, G. (ed.). 2013 ed. Gesellschaft für Ökologie, p. 26-27 1 p. (Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft für Ökologie; no. 43).

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

  3. Published

    Ecosystem services and distributive justice. Considering access rights to ecosystem services in theories of distributive justice

    Glotzbach, S., 2013, In: Ethics, Policy & Environment. 16, 2, p. 162-176 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Eco Threats as Security Threats and the protection of the Environment during Hostilities

    Bachmann, S. D. & Sanden, J., 2013, In: Amicus Curiae. 2013, 95, p. 10-13 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  5. Published

    Education for Sustainable Development

    Sewilam, H., McCormack, O., Osório-Peters, S. & Mader, M., 2013, New Life Sciences : linking science to society: BioVisionAlexandria 2012. Serageldin, I., Yahia, M., El-Faham, M. & El-Wakil, M. (eds.). Bibliotheca Alexandrina, p. 197 - 206 10 p.

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

  6. Published

    Einführung: Forschungs- und Handlungsfelder der Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften und -politik

    Hofmeister, S., Katz, C. & Mölders, T., 2013, Geschlechterverhältnisse und Nachhaltigkeit: Die Kategorie Geschlecht in den Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Hofmeister, S., Katz, C. & Mölders, T. (eds.). Opladen: Verlag Babara Budrich, p. 153-159 6 p.

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

  7. Published

    Einführung: Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung – ein Konzept – eine Aufgabe – ein Prozess

    Stoltenberg, U., 2013, Weltorientierung durch Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung: Theoretische Grundlagen und Praxis des Sachunterrichts in der Grundschule. Stoltenberg, U. (ed.). Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, Vol. 1. p. 9-11 3 p.

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

  8. Published

    Einleitung: Geschlechterverhältnisse in der nachhaltigen Entwicklung

    Hofmeister, S., Katz, C. & Mölders, T., 2013, Geschlechterverhältnisse und Nachhaltigkeit: Die Kategorie Geschlecht in den Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Hofmeister, S., Katz, C. & Mölders, T. (eds.). Opladen: Verlag Babara Budrich, p. 17-30 14 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksOtherEducation

  9. Published

    Einleitung: Das Projekt "Bildungsinstitutionen und nachhaltiger Konsum" (BINK)

    Michelsen, G., 2013, Nachhaltig konsumieren lernen: Ergebnisse aus dem Projekt BINK "Bildungsinstitutionen nachhaltiger Konsum". Michelsen, G. & Fischer, D. (eds.). 1. ed. Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 11-22 11 p. (Innovationen in den Hochschulen: Nachhaltige Entwicklung; vol. 11).

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

  10. Published
  11. Published

    Emerging pollutants: of old compounds and new ones, of micrograms and tonnes, from the past to the future

    Kümmerer, K., 2013, 14th EuCheMS International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment: ICCE 2013, Barcelona, June 25 - 28, 2013; Book of abstracts. European Association of Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EuCheMS) / Division of Chemistry and the Environment (DCE), p. 42 1 p.

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