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. 2025
  2. Published

    Cybermobbing, Hatespeech, Sexting und Cybergrooming. Online-Interaktionsrisiken von Kindern und Jugendlichen aus psychologischer Sicht

    Paschel, F., Schultz, M., Salisch, M. & Pfetsch, J., 16.01.2025, Weinheim: Beltz Juventa Verlag. 212 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesBook

  3. Published

    Fruit Detection and Yield Mass Estimation from a UAV Based RGB Dense Cloud for an Apple Orchard

    Hobart, M., Pflanz, M., Tsoulias, N., Weltzien, C., Kopetzky, M. & Schirrmann, M., 16.01.2025, In: Drones. 9, 1, 19 p., 60.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. E-pub ahead of print

    Investigating values and environmental attitudes in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

    Detjen, L., Schröder, S., Schwenck, M., Summa, J., Schreiber, J. & von Wehrden, H., 20.01.2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences. 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Dichotomy or continuum? A global review of the interaction between autonomous and planned adaptations

    Maskell, G., Shukla, R., Jagannathan, K., Browne, K., Ulibarri, N., Campbell, D., Franz, C. P., Grady, C., Joe, E. T., Kirchhoff, C. J., Madhavan, M., Michaud, L., Sharma, S., Singh, C., Orlove, B., Alverio, G. N., Ajibade, I., Bowen, K. J., Chauhan, N., Galappaththi, E. K., Hudson, A. J., Mach, K. J., Musah-Surugu, J. I., Petzold, J., Reckien, D., Schauberger, B., Segnon, A. C., van Bavel, B. & Gornott, C., 02.2025, In: Ecology and Society. 30, 1, 39 p., 18.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Ecosystem service supply and (in)equality archetypes

    Benra, F., Pacheco-Romero, M. & Fischer, J., 02.2025, In: Ecosystem Services. 71, 11 p., 101683.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Global decoupling of functional and phylogenetic diversity in plant communities

    Author Collaboration of "Global decoupling of functional and phylogenetic diversity in plant communities", Hähn, G. J. A., Damasceno, G., Alvarez-Davila, E., Aubin, I., Bauters, M., Bergmeier, E. & Haider, S., 02.2025, In: Nature Ecology & Evolution. 9, 2, p. 237-248 12 p., e12976.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Mental contrasting and conflict management in satisfied and unsatisfied romantic relationships

    Jöhnk, H., Sevincer, A. T. & Oettingen, G., 02.2025, In: Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. 42, 2, p. 367-391 25 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Transformation towards the sustainable management of peatlands: A characterisation of farmers in the Teufelsmoor, Germany

    Hünnebeck-Wells, A., Loos, J., Abel, S. & Nordt, A., 02.2025, In: People and Nature. 7, 2, p. 346-359 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Eco-pharma dilemma: Navigating environmental sustainability trade-offs within the lifecycle of pharmaceuticals – A comment

    Moermond, C. T. A., Puhlmann, N., Pieters, L., Matharu, A., Boone, L., Dobbelaere, M., Proquin, H., Kümmerer, K., Ragas, A. M. J., Vidaurre, R., Venhuis, B. & De Smedt, D., 01.02.2025, In: Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy. 43, 10 p., 101893.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Framing resilience: Post-disaster communication in Aotearoa-New Zealand

    Buelow, F., Brower, A. & Cradock-Henry, N., 01.02.2025, In: International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. 117, 13 p., 105167.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Recently viewed

Researchers

  1. Bettina Ohse

Publications

  1. Spielwelt
  2. Rechtliche Instrumente zur Verbesserung der Energienutzung
  3. Understanding the first-offer conundrum: How buyer offers impact sale price and impasse risk in 26 million eBay negotiations
  4. Betriebliche Mitbestimmung vier Jahre nach der Reform des BetrVG
  5. Wood-pasture management in southern Transylvania (Romania)
  6. Vertrag über die Europäische Union (EUV) : Artikel 12 [Handlungsformen]
  7. Kollektive Gefährdungslage Corona – Die Pandemie in der Asylrechtsprechung am Beispiel Afghanistan
  8. Socio-cultural valuation of ecosystem services
  9. Energiewende Erst reden, dann roden!
  10. Relationships between climate, productivity and vegetation in southern mongolian drylands
  11. Diagnosen der Moderne
  12. Special Issue: Weimar Photography: Bauhaus, Cultural Difference, Exile: Part 1
  13. Zukunftslabor Produktion
  14. Die Evaluation von Mündlichkeit
  15. Zur Integration von Wissenschaft und Praxis als Forschungsmodus
  16. Hin zu mehr sozialer Netzwerkverantwortlichkeit in der globalen Bekleidungsindustrie
  17. Derridas Doppelzüngigkeit. Zur Übersetzbarkeit von Schlangenwendungen
  18. Parlamentarismus
  19. The tyranny of coarse scales in sustainability science and policy
  20. Kulturpolitik und Digitalität
  21. Der Traum vom „besseren“ Menschen
  22. Bildungskooperation international
  23. Verantwortung für historisches Unrecht
  24. Triathlon - ein Wechsel zwischen Disziplinen als Inhalt eines variablen Kinderleichtathletiktrainings
  25. Ausgefüllt, ausgewertet und abgelegt?
  26. Settingbasierte Gesundheitsförderung und Prävention in Deutschland
  27. Die Haftung der Dritten Gewalt - Haftung als Baustein einer judicial accountability
  28. Corporate Volunteering in Germany
  29. Stieftöchter der Psychoanalyse? Ellen Key, Hermine Hug-Hellmuth und Charlotte Bühler
  30. "Wahrheit für die Phantasie"
  31. Global steam coal markets until 2030