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. Published

    Forschungsbereiche im Themenfeld Geschlechterverhältnisse und Nachhaltigkeit

    Hofmeister, S., Katz, C. & Mölders, T., 2013, Geschlechterverhältnisse und Nachhaltigkeit: Die Kategorie Geschlecht in den Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften. Hofmeister, S., Katz, C. & Mölders, T. (eds.). Opladen: Verlag Babara Budrich, p. 78-79

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

  2. Published

    Forschungsförderung unter dem Aspekt transdisziplinärer Integrationsaufgaben

    Bergmann, M., 2008, Transdisziplinäre Forschung: Integrative Forschungsprozesse verstehen und bewerten. Bergmann, M. & Schramm, E. (eds.). Frankfurt a. M./New York: Campus Verlag, p. 293-315 23 p.

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

  3. Published

    For the good of the people: establishing public value creation as an objective for sustainable entrepreneurship policy

    Corredor Jimenez, J., Norris, S. & Gebhardt, L., 08.2024, In: International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing. 16, 2, p. 242-261 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Forwords

    Hofmeister, S. & Fainstein, S. S., 2019, Gendered Approaches to Spatial Development in Europe: Perspectives, Similarities, Differences. Zibell, B., Damyanovic, D. & Sturm, U. (eds.). London / New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. XVII-XIX 3 p. (Routledge studies in gender and environments).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksOtherResearch

  5. Published

    Fossil footprints at the late lower Paleolithic site of Schöningen (Germany): A new line of research to reconstruct animal and hominin paleoecology

    Altamura, F., Lehmann, J., Rodríguez-Álvarez, B., Urban, B., van Kolfschoten, T., Verheijen, I., Conard, N. J. & Serangeli, J., 15.06.2023, In: Quaternary Science Reviews. 310, 108094.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  6. Published

    Fostering students’ participation in the implementation of the sustainable development goals at higher education institutions

    Filho, W. L., Trevisan, L. V., Dinis, M. A. P., Ulmer, N., Paço, A., Borsari, B., Sierra, J. & Salvia, A., 12.2024, In: Discover Sustainability. 5, 1, 24 p., 22.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Fotolyseexperimente in Lösung

    Palm, W.-U., 2002, Fachgespräche über Persistenz und Ferntransport von POP-Stoffen: Erstes Fachgespräch am 16. Februar 2000 Zweites Fachgespräch am 6. und 7. September 2001. Berlin: Umweltbundesamt, p. 67-73 7 p. (TEXTE; vol. 16, no. 02).

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

  8. Published

    Foundational Aspects of Polycentric Governance: Overarching Rules, Social-Problem Characteristics, and Heterogeneity

    Thiel, A. & Moser, C., 13.09.2019, Governing Complexity: Analyzing and Applying Polycentricity. Thiel, A., Blomquist, W. A. & Garrick, D. E. (eds.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 65-90 26 p. 3. (Cambridge studies in economics, choice, and society).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  9. Published

    Four Methods to Distinguish between Fractal Dimensions in Time Series through Recurrence Quantification Analysis

    Tomashin, A., Leonardi, G. & Wallot, S., 19.09.2022, In: Entropy. 24, 9, 14 p., 1314.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Fracking, Sovereignty over Natural Resources and International Investment Law

    Reins, L., Geraets, D. & Schomerus, C.-T., 2019, European Yearbook of International Economic Law 2018. Bungenberg, M., Krajewski, M., Tams, C. J., Terhechte, J. P. & Ziegler, A. R. (eds.). 1 ed. Cham: Springer Verlag, p. 175-201 27 p. (European Yearbook of International Economic Law; vol. 9).

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