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

    Wi(e)der die Armut? Positionen zu den Milleniumszielen der Vereinten Nationen

    Kuhn, K. (Editor) & Rieckmann, M. (Editor), 2006, Frankfurt am Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften. 219 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  3. Published

    Working group on dry grasslands in the nordic and baltic region - Outline of the project and first results for the class Festuco-Brometea

    Dengler, J., Rusina, S., Boch, S., Bruun, H. H., Diekmann, M., Dierßen, K., Dolnik, C., Dupré, C., Golub, V. B., Grytnes, J. A., Helm, A., Ingerpuu, N., Löbel, S., Pärtel, M., Rašomavičius, V., Tyler, G., Znamenskiy, S. R. & Zobel, M., 2006, In: Annali di Botanica. 6, p. 1-28 28 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Zur Disziplin gereift

    Hofmeister, S., 2006, In: Punkt.um. p. 14 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsCritical reviewsResearch

  5. Published

    Zur kulturellen Dimension nachhaltiger Entwicklung: eine metatheoretische und diskursanalytische Bestandsaufnahme

    Kuhn, K., 2006, Lüneburg: Institut für Umweltkommunikation der Universität Lüneburg, 45 p. (INFU-Diskussionsbeiträge; no. 28/06).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  6. Published

    Zwischen Existenzkampf und Professionalisierung: Handlungsstrategien von Expertinnen in der bildungs- und berufsbiographischen Beratungsarbeit und der Regionalen Frauenförderung

    Mayer, M., 2006, Bildungs- und Karrierewege von Frauen. Wissen – Erfahrungen – biographisches Lernen. Schlüter, A. (ed.). Opladen: Verlag Babara Budrich, p. 111-127 16 p.

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

  7. 2005
  8. Published

    Anger regulation among friends: Assessment and development from childhood to adolescence

    Salisch, M. & Vogelgesang, J., 01.12.2005, In: Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. 22, 6, p. 837-855 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Eine finite-elemente-lösung auf der basis eines erweiterten eindimensionalen querschnittselementes für die freie torsion dünnwandiger prismatischer Stäbe

    Eilering, S., 01.12.2005, In: Stahlbau. 74, 12, p. 925-932 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Herausforderung Nachhaltigkeit – Transformation durch Partizipation?

    Heinrichs, H., 12.2005, Partizipation, Öffentlichkeitsbeteiligung, Nachhaltigkeit. Perspektiven der politischen Ökonomie. Feindt, P. H. & Newig, J. (eds.). Marburg: Metropolis Verlag für Ökonomie, p. 43-65 23 p. (Ökologie und Wirtschaftsforschung ; vol. 62).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Late Pleistocene vegetation of the basin of Phlious, NE-Peloponnese, Greece

    Urban, B. & Fuchs, M., 01.11.2005, In: Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology. 137, 1-2, p. 15-29 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  12. Published

    Recommendations for the evaluation of transdisciplinary research

    Loibl, M. C., 01.11.2005, In: GAIA. 14, 4, p. 351-353 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch