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

    Analyses of Drugs and Pharmaceuticals in the Environment

    Ali, I., Aboul-Enein, H. Y. & Kümmerer, K., 05.07.2011, Biophysico-Chemical Processes of Anthropogenic Organic Compounds in Environmental Systems. Xing, B., Senesi, N. & Ming, P. (eds.). 1 ed. John Wiley & Sons Inc., p. 439-462 24 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  3. Published

    Classifying railway stations for strategic transport and land use planning: Context matters!

    Zemp, S., Stauffacher, M., Lang, D. & Scholz, R. W., 07.2011, In: Journal of Transport Geography. 19, 4, p. 670-679 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Energiespeicherung in Bundeswasserstraßen

    Schomerus, T. & Degenhart, H., 07.2011, In: Solarzeitalter. 23, 2, p. 34-38 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  5. Published

    Exposure of the Irish population to PBDEs in food: consideration of parameter uncertainty and variability for risk assessment

    Trudel, D., Tlustos, C., von Goetz, N., Scheringer, M., Reichert, P. & Hungerbühler, K., 07.2011, In: Food additives & contaminants. Part A, Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment. 28, 7, p. 943-955 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published
  7. Published

    Long-term population dynamics of Dactylorhiza incarnata (L.) Soo after abandonment and re-introduction of mowing

    Schrautzer, J., Fichtner, A., Huckauf, A., Rasran, L. & Jensen, K., 07.2011, In: Flora. 206, 7, p. 622-630 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Preference for violent electronic games and aggressive behavior among children: The beginning of the downward spiral?

    von Salisch, M., Vogelgesang, J., Kristen, A. & Oppl, C., 07.2011, In: Media Psychology . 14, 3, p. 233-258 26 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Transdisciplinarity in Corporate Sustainability: Call for Papers

    Schaltegger, S. (Editor), Beckmann, M. (Editor) & Hansen, E. G. (Editor), 07.2011, In: Business Strategy and the Environment. 20, 5, p. 348-350 3 p.

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

  10. Published

    Contribution of Pollinator-Mediated Crops to Nutrients in the Human Food Supply

    Eilers, E. J., Kremen, C., Smith Greenleaf, S., Garber, A. K. & Klein, A.-M., 22.06.2011, In: PLoS ONE. 6, 6, 6 p., e21363.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Cues from Facial Expressions for Emotional Interfaces

    Tews, T.-K., Oehl, M., Siebert, F., Faasch, H. & Höger, R., 20.06.2011, Human Centred Automation: HFES Europe Chapter. De Waard, D., Gérard, N., Onnasch, L., Wiczorek, R. & Manzey, D. (eds.). Shaker Publishing, p. 111-122 12 p.

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