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. 2010
  2. Published

    Terpenoids tame aggressors: role of chemicals in stingless bee communal nesting

    Leonhardt, S., Jung, L.-M., Schmitt, T. & Blüthgen, N., 09.2010, In: Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 64, 9, p. 1415-1423 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Detection and mapping of water pollution variation in the Nile Delta using multivariate clustering and GIS techniques

    Shaban, M., Urban, B., El Saadi, A. M. K. & Faisal, M., 01.08.2010, In: Journal of Environmental Management. 91, 8, p. 1785-1793 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Luminescence dating of late holocene dunes showing remnants of early settlement in Cuddalore and evidence of monsoon activity in south east India

    Frechen, M., Ramachandran, R., Urban, B. & Kunz, J.-A., 01.08.2010, In: Quaternary International. 222, 1-2, p. 194-208 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Chancen erkennen und nutzen: Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung im Alltag von Kindertagesstätten

    Benoist, B. & Heuser, H.-H., 08.2010, Hier spielt die Zukunft: Kindergärten als Bildungsorte für nachhaltige Entwicklung ; Dokumentation zur Fachtagung vom 30.11. – 01.12.2009/Bonn. Kruppa, E. (ed.). Frankfurt am Main: Leuchtpol, p. 49-52 4 p. (Schriftenreihe der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Natur- und Umweltbildung Bundesverband e.V.)(Leuchtpol Bibliothek Sonderedition; no. 1).

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

  6. Published

    Faktor Fünf: Rezension zu Weizsäcker/Hargroves/Smith: Faktor Fünf - Die Formel für nachhaltiges Wachstum

    Schomerus, T., 08.2010, In: Natur und Recht. 32, 8, p. 556-557 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsCritical reviewsResearch

  7. Published

    Organic farming in isolated landscapes does not benefit flower-visiting insects and pollination

    Brittain, C., Vighi, M., Bommarco, R., Settele, J. & Potts, S. G., 08.2010, In: Biological Conservation. 143, 8, p. 1860-1867 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    The impact of an insecticide on insect flower visitation and pollination in an agricultural landscape

    Brittain, C., Bommarco, R., Vighi, M., Barmaz, S., Settele, J. & Potts, S. G., 08.2010, In: Agricultural and Forest Entomology. 12, 3, p. 259-266 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Towards an agri-environment index for biodiversity conservation payment schemes

    Dittmer, F. & Groth, M., 08.2010, Lüneburg: Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Lüneburg, 18 p. (Working Paper series in Economics; no. 185).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  10. Published

    Risk preferences under heterogeneous environmental risk

    Olbrich, R., Quaas, M. F., Haensler, A. & Baumgärtner, S., 25.07.2010, World Risk and Insurance Economics Congress . International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics, p. 10/76 1 p. (Etudes et Dossiers; no. 369).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsResearch

  11. Published