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. 2011
  2. Published

    Energie als Schlüsselthema einer Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung: Ergebnisse aus der Evaluation und Konsequenzen für die pädagogische Praxis in der Diskussion

    Benoist, B., Moths, K. & Kosler, T., 11.2011, Hier spielt die Zukunft : Kinder. Werte. Klimaschutz: Dokumentation zur Fachtagung vom 02.12. - 03.12.2010/Potsdam. Müller, A. (ed.). Leuchtpol, p. 57 -59 3 p. (Schriftenreihe der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Natur- und Umweltbildung Bundesverand e.V.; no. 19)(Leuchtpol Bibliothek Sonderedition; no. 4).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksOtherResearch

  3. Published

    Habitat invasion risk assessment based on Landsat 5 data, exemplified by the shrub Rosa rubiginosa in southern Argentina

    Zimmermann, H., von Wehrden, H., Damascos, M., Bran, D., Welk, E., Renison, D. & Hensen, I., 11.2011, In: Austral Ecology. 36, 7, p. 870-880 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Werte im Konzept einer Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung

    Stoltenberg, U., 11.2011, Hier spielt die Zukunft. Kinder. Werte. Klimaschutz: Dokumentation zur Fachtagung vom 02.12. - 03.12.2010/Potsdam. Müller, A. (ed.). Frankfurt am Main: Leuchtpol, p. 10-18 9 p. (Schriftenreihe der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Natur- und Umweltbildung Bundesverband e.V.; vol. 19)(Leuchtpol Bibliothek Sonderedition; no. 4).

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

  5. Published

    Environmental Management Accounting

    Bennett, M., Schaltegger, S. & Zvezdov, D., 26.10.2011, Review of Management Accounting Research. Abdel-Kader, M. (ed.). Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, p. 53-84 32 p.

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

  6. Published

    Religiöse und Ästhetische Strategien der Erhaltung und Erinnerung oraler Traditionen: jüdische Textkultur und das Werk Arnold Dreyblatts – zwischen Performanz und digitaler Remedialisierung

    Holz, V., 07.10.2011, Neues Erbe: Aspekte, Perspektiven und Konsequenzen der digitalen Überlieferung. Robertson-von Trotha, C. Y. & Hauser, R. (eds.). Karlsruhe: KIT Scientific Publishing, p. 163-180 18 p. (Kulturelle Überlieferung - Digital; vol. 1).

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

  7. Published

    Fusionsprotein und dessen Verwendungen

    Leder, C., Gawaz, M., Ziegler, M. & Stellos, K., 06.10.2011, IPC No. DE 102010013887A1, Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt, 30.03.2010

    Research output: PatentsPatent

  8. Published

    Genetic relatedness and chemical profiles in an unusually peaceful eusocial bee

    Leonhardt, S. D., Form, S., Blüthgen, N., Schmitt, T. & Feldhaar, H., 01.10.2011, In: Journal of Chemical Ecology. 37, 10, p. 1117-1126 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Release of monomers from four different composite materials after halogen and LED curing

    Polydorou, O., König, A., Altenburger, M. J., Wolkewitz, M., Hellwig, E. & Kümmerer, K., 01.10.2011, In: American Journal of Dentistry. 24, 5, p. 315-321 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Surveying Southern Mongolia: Application of multivariate classification methods in drylands with low diversity and long floristic gradients

    Wesche, K. & Von Wehrden, H., 01.10.2011, In: Applied Vegetation Science. 14, 4, p. 561-570 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Continental-scale ecology versus landscape-scale case studies

    Fischer, J., Hanspach, J. & Hartel, T., 10.2011, In: Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 9, 8, p. 430-430 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch