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

    Relict species research: Some concluding remarks

    Habel, J. C., Schmitt, T. & Aßmann, T., 2010, Relict species: Phylogeography and Conservation Biology. Habel, J. C. & Assmann, T. (eds.). Heidelberg [u.a.]: Springer, p. 441-442 2 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  3. Published

    Repowering: Hindernisse und Lösungsmöglichkeiten

    Schomerus, T. (Editor) & Degenhart, H. (Editor), 2010, Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG. 89 p. (Lüneburger Schriften zum Wirtschaftsrecht; no. 15)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  4. Published

    Ressourceneffizienz in der Praxis: Zur Anreizsituation aus Sicht von Unternehmen und Intermediären

    Görlach, S. & Zvezdov, D., 2010, In: Umweltwirtschaftsforum. 18, 3/4, p. 189-195 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Ressourcenpolitik im Bereich unternehmensnaher Instrumente: Zusammenfassung

    Liedtke, C., Kristof, K., Bienge, K., von Geibler, J., Lemken, T., Meinel, U., Onischka, M., Schmidt, M., Görlach, S., Zvezdov, D. & Knappe, F., 2010, Wuppertal: Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie, 22 p. (Materialeffizienz & Ressourcenschonung; no. 4.9).

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsResearch

  6. Published

    Review: Refugial areas and postglacial colonisations in the Western Palaearctic

    Habel, J. C., Drees, C., Aßmann, T. & Schmitt, T., 2010, Relict species: Phylogeography and Conservation Biology. Assmann, T. & Habel, J. C. (eds.). Heidelberg [u.a.]: Springer, p. 189-197 9 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  7. Published

    Review: The dark side of relict species biology: Cave animals as ancient lineages

    Aßmann, T., Casale, A., Drees, C., Habel, J. C., Schuldt, A. & Matern, A., 2010, Relict species: Phylogeography and conservation biology. Habel, J. C. & Assmann, T. (eds.). Heidelberg [u.a.]: Springer, p. 91-103 13 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  8. Published

    Social Media als Impuls für partizipative Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation?

    Schulz, D., 2010, Entscheidungen mit Umweltfolgen zwischen Freiheit und Zwang: Tagungsband der 7. Tagung der Nachwuchsgruppe Umweltsoziologie . Faber, F., Jay, M., Reinecke, S. & Westermeyer, T. (eds.). Institut für Forstökonomie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, 13 p. (Arbeitsbericht; vol. 55).

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

  9. Published

    Software-Unterstützung für Routine im betrieblichen Umweltschutz

    Möller, A., 2010, Integration of environmental information in Europe: EnviroInfo 2010 ; proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Informatics for Environmental Protection, Cologne/Bonn, Germany. Greve, K. & Cremers, A. B. (eds.). Shaker Verlag, p. 375-382 8 p.

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

  10. Published

    Sozio-Controlling

    Dubielzig, F., 2010, Summa cum laude 2008: Wirtschaftswissenschaften. Pantz, K. (ed.). Darmstadt: Roter Fleck Verlag, p. 202-203 2 p.

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

  11. Published

    Sport und Naturschutz - 10 Thesen zur Optimierung der gemeinsamen Kommunikation

    Adomßent, M., 2010, In: Natur und Landschaft. 85, 9-10, p. 425-429 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review