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. 2005
  2. Published

    Abschluss mit Anschluss: Wissenschaft und Bildung

    Stoltenberg, U. & Bolscho, D., 2005, Baustelle Hochschule: Nachhaltigkeit als neues Fundament für Lehre und Forschung. Altner, G. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). München: oekom verlag GmbH, p. 44-46 3 p. (Politische Ökologie; vol. 93).

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

  3. Published

    Advisory systems in pluralistic knowledge societies: An indicator-based typology to assess and optimize environmental policy advice

    Heinrichs, H., 2005, Democratization of Expertise?: Exploring Novel Forms of Scientific Advice in Political Decision-Making. Maasen, S. & Weingart, P. (eds.). Springer, p. 41-61 21 p. (Sociology of the Sciences Yearbook).

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

  4. Published

    AG Frauen: Vielfältiger Auftakt – Weshalb eine Schnecke Gender Mainstreaming symbolisiert

    Grüning, J., Thiem, A. & Mayer, M., 2005, In: Rundbrief Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung. 10 Jahre WTO. Kein Grund zum Feiern, 01, p. 23 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  5. Published
  6. Published

    Ausbreitung von Pflanzen durch Schalenwild: biologische Vielfalt

    Schmidt, M., Heinken, T., Oheimb, G., Kriebitzsch, W.-U. & Ellenberg, H., 2005, In: AFZ, der Wald. 60, 1, p. 29-31 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  7. Published

    Baustelle Hochschule: Nachhaltigkeit als neues Fundament für Lehre und Forschung

    Altner, G. (Editor) & Michelsen, G. (Editor), 2005, München: oekom verlag GmbH. 81 p. (Politische Ökologie; vol. 93, no. 02/2005)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesSpecial Journal issueResearch

  8. Published

    Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung: Politik, Theorie, Praxis

    Michelsen, G., 2005, Nachhaltige Entwicklung: von der wissenschaftlichen Forschung zur politischen Umsetzung. Banse, G. & Kiepas, A. (eds.). Berlin: edition sigma, p. 137-152 16 p. (Global zukunftsfähige Entwicklung - Nachhaltigkeitsforschung in der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft ; vol. 10, no. 1).

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

  9. Published

    Biotopverbund im Naturschutzrecht

    Krüsemann, E., 2005, Berlin: Berliner Wissenschafts-Verlag. 294 p. (Umweltrecht und Umweltpolitik; vol. 15)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  10. Published

    Campus im Spannungsfeld: sustainable university Lüneburg

    Godemann, J. & Adomßent, M., 2005, Baustelle Hochschule: Nachhaltigkeit als neues Fundament für Lehre und Forschung. Altner, G. & Michelsen, G. (eds.). München: oekom verlag GmbH, p. 52-53 2 p. (Politische Ökologie; vol. 93, no. 02-2005).

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

  11. Published

    Collaborative Information Systems zur Selbstorganisation von ad-hoc-Helfern

    Bonin, H. E. G., 2005, INFORMATIK 2005 - Informatik LIVE!, Beitrage der 35. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft fur Informatik e.V. (GI). Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V., p. 365-369 5 p. (INFORMATIK 2005 - Informatik LIVE!, Beitrage der 35. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft fur Informatik e.V. (GI); vol. 2).

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