School of Sustainability
Organisational unit: Research School
- Centre for Sustainability Management (CSM)
- Institute of Ecology
- Institute of Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research
- Institute of Sustainability Governance
- Institute of Sustainability Material Flows and Circularity
- Institute of Sustainability Psychology
- Institute of Sustainable Chemistry
- Social-Ecological Systems Institute (SESI)
- Sustainability Education and Transdisciplinary Research Institute
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.
- 2025
- Published
It takes two to tango - how teacher-child interactions help advance children’s emotion knowledge
Hormann, O., Voltmer, K. & von Salisch, M., 25.09.2025, In: Frontiers in Psychology. 16, 15 p., 1622163.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- E-pub ahead of print
Older people care increases the gender gap in academia
Vidal-Abarca, M. R., Martín-López, B., Sala-Bubaré, A., Anton-Pardo, M., Catalan, N., Freixa, A., Lupon, A., Nicolás-Ruiz, N., Poblador, S., Rodríguez-Lozano, P., Sánchez-Montoya, M. D. M. & Suárez, M. L., 12.2025, In: Scientific Reports. 15, 1, 10 p., 33336.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Exploring biocultural diversity: A systematic analysis and refined classification to inform decisions on conservation and sustainability
Otamendi-Urroz, I., Quintas-Soriano, C., Hanspach, J., Requena-Mullor, J. M., Lagies, A. S. & Castro, A. J., 10.2025, In: Ambio. 54, 10, p. 1581-1597 17 p., e517.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Published
Inconsistent short-term effects of enhanced structural complexity on soil microbial properties across German forests
Schwarz, R., Eisenhauer, N., Ammer, C., Bradler, P. M., Decker, O., Delory, B. M., Dietrich, P., Fichtner, A., Huang, Y., Lettenmaier, L., Junginger, M., Mitesser, O., Müller, J., von Oheimb, G., Pierick, K., Scherer-Lorenzen, M. & Cesarz, S., 10.2025, In: Applied Soil Ecology. 214, 13 p., 106335.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Management Responses to Climate Change: An Analysis of Scholarly Recommendations
Imbrogiano, J. P., Schaltegger, S. & Boiral, O., 10.2025, In: Sustainable Development. 33, 5, p. 6680-6692 13 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Published
Road Disturbance Shifts Root Fungal Symbiont Types and Reduces the Connectivity of Plant-Fungal Co-Occurrence Networks in Mountains
Radujković, D., Verbruggen, E., Clavel, J., Pauchard, A., Fuentes-Lillo, E., Barros, A., Aschero, V., Haider, S., Ratier Backes, A., Pergl, J., Vítková, M., Lučanová, A., Nuñez, M. A., Lenoir, J., Nijs, I. & Lembrechts, J. J., 10.2025, In: Molecular Ecology. 34, 20, 15 p., e17771.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Successful water governance pathways across problem contexts: a global qualitative comparative analysis
Bilalova, S., Jager, N. W., Newig, J. & Villamayor-Tomas, S., 10.2025, In: Ecology and Society. 30, 4, 36 p., 2.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Uncovering decolonial pedagogies for learning agroecological transitions: comparative analysis of South America cases
Bonatti, M., Reynaldo, R. G., Martín-López, B., Bolivar, S., Cordero-Fernández, M., Miguel, G. C., Martin, A., Hämmerle, J., Schröter, B., Erismann, C., da Silva Rosa, T., Hellin, J., Schlindwein, I., Osorio, Á. A., Medina, L., Baldivieso, C., Eufemia, L., Jacobi, J., Lobo Guerrero, A. M. & Sieber, S., 10.2025, In: Global Environmental Change. 94, 15 p., 103042.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- E-pub ahead of print
Driesch und Uexküll
Schmieg, G., 03.2026, Plessner Handbuch: Leben – Werk – Wirkung. Fischer, J. (ed.). J.B. Metzler, 6 p. Kap.II.8Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Articles for encyclopedia › Research
- E-pub ahead of print
Context-based science education to promote diversity-equity-inclusion – a systematic literature review on the understanding of context in science education
Hüfner, S. K., Weirauch, K., List, F., Menthe, J. & Abels, S., 08.10.2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Studies in Science Education. 41 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review