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. 2008
  2. Published

    Methoden inter- und transdisziplinären Arbeitens

    Godemann, J., 2008, Internationaler Masterstudiengang 'Sustainable Development and Management': Band 1: Handbuch für den Masterstudiengang. Michelsen, G., Barkin, D. & Rieckmann, M. (eds.). Frankfurt am Main: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 263-286 24 p.

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

  3. Published

    Multilayer structural colours in Poecilus lepidus (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

    Mossakowski, D., Paarmann, W., Rohe, W., Lüchtrath, I. & Aßmann, T., 2008, Back to the roots and back to the future: Towards a new synthesis amongst taxonomic, ecological and biogeographical approaches in carabidology . Penev, L., Erwin, T. L. & Assmann, T. (eds.). Pensoft Publishers Ltd., Vol. 75. p. 175-184 10 p. (Pensoft series faunistica; vol. 75).

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

  4. Published

    Nachhaltige Agrarpolitik als kontroverses Diskursfeld: Naturkonzepte und gesellschaftliche Ordnungsvorstellungen in den agrarpolitischen Paradigmen

    Feindt, P. H., Gottschick, M., Mölders, T., Müller, F., Sodtke, R. & Weiland, S., 2008, Nachhaltige Agrarpolitik als reflexive Politik: Plädoyer für einen neuen Diskurs zwischen Politik und Wissenschaft. Feindt, P. H., Gottschick, M., Mölders, T., Müller, F., Sodtke, R. & Weiland, S. (eds.). Berlin: edition sigma, p. 277-302 26 p.

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

  5. Published

    Nachhaltige Agrarpolitik als reflexive Politik: Plädoyer für einen neuen Diskurs zwischen Politik und Wissenschaft

    Feindt, P. H. (Editor), Gottschick, M. (Editor), Mölders, T. (Editor), Müller, F. (Editor), Sodtke, R. (Editor) & Weiland, S. (Editor), 2008, Berlin: edition sigma. 331 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  6. Published

    Nachhaltige Entwicklung

    Michelsen, G. & Overwien, B., 2008, Grundbegriffe Ganztagsbildung: Das Handbuch. Coelen, T. & Otto, H.-U. (eds.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 299-307 9 p.

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

  7. Published

    Nachhaltige Entwicklung als Strategie und Ziel von Hochschulentwicklung

    Michelsen, G. (Editor) & Godemann, J. (Editor), 2008, Frankfurt am Main: Verlag für Akademische Schriften. 186 p. (Innovation in den Hochschulen: Nachhaltige Entwickliung; vol. 10)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  8. Published

    Nachhaltige Ernährungsbildung: Konturen eines Bildungskonzeptes für die Schule

    Fischer, D., 2008, Ernährungsbildung - Grundlagen und Praxismodelle. Herzogenrath: Shaker Verlag, p. 23–76 52 p. (Schriftenreihe Ökotrophologie der Fachhochschule Osnabrück; vol. 3).

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

  9. Published

    Nachhaltige Regionalentwicklung als Kontext für ökonomische Bildung

    Stoltenberg, U., 2008, Ökonomische Bildung mit Kindern und Jugendlichen. Bolscho, D. & Hauenschild, K. (eds.). Frankfurt am Main [u.a.]: Peter Lang Verlag, p. 170-179 10 p. (Umweltbildung und Zukunftsfähigkeit ; vol. 5).

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

  10. Published

    Nachhaltigkeit als Herausforderung

    Michelsen, G., 2008, In: Erziehung und Wissenschaft. 60, 6, p. 6-9 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  11. Published

    Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung

    Herzig, C. & Pianowski, M., 2008, Betriebliches Umweltmanagement: nachhaltiges Wirtschaften in Unternehmen. Baumast, A. (ed.). 3 ed. Stuttgart: Eugen-Ulmer-Verlag, p. 217-232 16 p.

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