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

    Tagungsbericht: Energie-Konferenz - Standortnachteil Deutschland: Sind die Industriestrompreise in Deutschland missbräuchlich überhöht?

    Guerra González, J., 01.03.2011, In: Natur und Recht. 33, 3, p. 199-200 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  3. Published

    Biodegradability of organic nanoparticles in the aqueous environment

    Kümmerer, K., Menz, J., Schubert, T. & Thielemans, W., 03.2011, In: Chemosphere. 82, 10, p. 1387-1392 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Carbon Management Accounting: Explaining Practice in Leading German Companies

    Burritt, R., Schaltegger, S. & Zvezdov, D., 03.2011, In: Australian Accounting Review. 21, 1, p. 80-98 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Forbidden love“ – narratives of love, belonging and deviance in adolescence

    Offen, S., 03.2011, GEXcel Work in Progress Report: Proceedings from GEXcel Theme 10 : Love in Our Time - A Question For Feminism Conference of Workshops 2-4 December 2010. Strid, S. & Jonasdottir, A. G. (eds.). GEXcel, Vol. IX. p. 65-69 5 p. (Tema Genus Report Series; no. 9)(CFS Report Series; no. 15).

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

  6. Published

    Generic functions of railway stations: A conceptual basis for the development of common system understanding and assessment criteria

    Zemp, S., Stauffacher, M., Lang, D. & Scholz, R. W., 03.2011, In: Transport Policy. 18, 2, p. 446-455 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Modelling scenarios to identify a combined sediment-water management strategy for the large reservoirs of the Tuyamuyun hydro-complex

    Olsson, O., Sorokin, A. & Ikramova, M., 03.2011, In: Irrigation and Drainage Systems. 25, 1, p. 1-18 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Stellungnahme zu Walentowski H. et al. 2010. Sind die deutschen waldnaturschutzkonzepte adäquat für die erhaltung der buchenwaldtypischen flora und fauna? Eine kritische bewertung basierend auf der herkunft der waldarten des mitteleuropäischen Tief- und hügellandes. Forstarchiv 81, 195-217

    Meyer, P., Schmidt, M., Blick, T., Brunet, J., Dorow, W. H. O., Hakes, W., Härdtle, W., Heinken, T., Hertel, D., Knapp, H. D., Leuschner, C., Oheimb, G., Otte, V. & Schmidt, W., 03.2011, In: Forstarchiv. 82, 2, p. 62-66 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  9. Published

    Emotions and social development in childhood

    Denham, S. A., Warren, H., Benga, O., von Salisch, M., Chin, J.-C. & Geangu, E., 22.02.2011, The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Childhood Social Development: Second Edition. Smith, P. K. & Hart, C. G. (eds.). 2 ed. Cambridge: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd., p. 413-433 21 p. (Handbooks of Developmental Psychology ).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  10. Published

    The amphibians and reptiles of the Lore Lindu National Park area, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

    Wanger, T. C., Motzke, I., Saleh, S. & Iskandar, D. T., 20.02.2011, In: Salamandra. 47, 1, p. 17-29 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Opportunities and Drawbacks of Mobile Flood Protection Systems

    Koppe, B. & Brinkmann, B., 02.02.2011, In: Coastal Engineering Proceedings. 1, 32, 14 p., 24.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference article in journalResearchpeer-review