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. 2006
  2. Published

    Komplexität verstehen, Zukunftsperspektiven erschließen: das General Studies Modul "Studienprogramm Nachhaltigkeit"

    Barth, M. & Godemann, J., 2006, Persönlichkeitsbildung und Beschäftigungsfähigkeit: Konzeptionen von General Studies und ihre Umsetzungen . Michelsen, G. & Märkt, S. (eds.). Bielefeld: UniversitätsVerlagWebler, p. 33-51 19 p. (Hochschulwesen, Wissenschaft und Praxis : HSW ; vol. 12).

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

  3. Published

    Late pleistocene vegetation of NE-Peleponnese (Basin of Phlious), Greece

    Urban, B., 2006, 150 years of Neanderthal discoveries: Early Europeans - Continuity & Discontinuity. von Koenigswald, W. (ed.). Bonn: GeoUnion Alfred-Wegener-Stiftung, Vol. 2. p. 137-138 2 p. (Terra nostra - Schriften der GeoUnion Alfred-Wegener-Stiftung; vol. 2/2006).

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

  4. Published

    Leistus

    Aßmann, T., 2006, Die Käfer Mitteleuropas; Bd. 2: Adephaga ; 1. Carabidae (Laufkäfer). Freude, H., Klausnitzer, B. & Müller-Motzfeld, G. (eds.). 2., Nachdr. ed. Heidelberg: Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, p. 65-70 6 p.

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

  5. Published

    Leitfaden Sozialmanagement im Unternehmen: Ausgewählte Instrumente für die Praxis

    Winistörfer, H., Teuscher, P. & Dubielzig, F., 2006, Winterthur: Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften, 99 p. (INE-Reihe; no. 5).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  6. Published

    Lernprozesse im Umgang mit der Gender-Dimension in der SÖF

    Grischkat, S. & Wendorf, G., 2006, Gender-Perspektiven in der sozial-ökologischen Forschung. Schäfer, M., Schultz, I. & Wendorf, G. (eds.). München: oekom verlag GmbH, Vol. 1. p. 103-116 14 p. (Ergebnisse sozial-ökologischer Forschung; vol. 1).

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

  7. Published

    Leszek Balcerowicz: Pole durch und durch oder ökonomischer Metropolit?

    Tschochohei, H., 2006, Erinnerung und Identität: Textbuch zum europäischen Doktorandenkolloquium, Lublin, 15. bis 19. November 2006. Raueiser, S. (ed.). Bonn: Cusanuswerk, Bischöfliche Studienförderung, p. 90-93 4 p.

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

  8. Published

    Licinini

    Aßmann, T., 2006, Die Käfer Mitteleuropas; Bd. 2: Adephaga ; 1. Carabidae (Laufkäfer). Freude, H., Klausnitzer, B. & Müller-Motzfeld, G. (eds.). 2., Nachdruck ed. Heidelberg: Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, p. 428-435 8 p.

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

  9. Published

    Long-term vegetation changes in a south Swedish deciduous forest

    Oheimb, G. & Brunet, J., 2006, Abstracts of the talks and posters presented at the 36th Annual Conference of the Ecological Society in Bremen, September 11 - 15, 2006. Hoffmeister, T. S. & Diekmann, M. (eds.). Bremen: Gesellschaft für Ökologie, p. 173 1 p.

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

  10. Published
  11. Published

    Management unternehmerischer Nachhaltigkeitsleistung: die Sustainability Balanced Scorecard zur Integration wirtschaftlicher, ökologischer und sozialer Verantwortung

    Schaltegger, S. & Wagner, M., 2006, Bausteine einer nachhaltigkeitsorientierten Betriebswirtschaftslehre: Festschrift zum 70. Geburtstag von Eberhard Seidel. Göllinger, T. (ed.). Marburg: Metropolis Verlag für Ökonomie, p. 157-176 20 p.

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