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.
- E-pub ahead of print
Perceptions of nature and its non-material contributions to people at Mount Kilimanjaro
Degano, M. E., Augustino Kwaslema, S., Böhning-Gaese, K., Hemp, A., Lehnen, L., Martín-López, B., Pearson, J., Mueller, T. & Arbieu, U., 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: People and Nature. n/a, n/a, 16 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)-main concerns and regulatory developments in Europe from an environmental point of view
Vierke, L., Staude, C., Biegel-Engler, A., Drost, W. & Schulte, C., 07.05.2012, In: Environmental Sciences Europe. 24, 5, 11 p., 16.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Performance analysis of a thermochemical based heat storage as an addition to cogeneration systems
Fopah Lele, A., Kuznik, F., Opel, O. & Ruck, W. K. L., 01.12.2015, In: Energy Conversion and Management. 106, p. 1327-1344 18 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Performance measurement in sustainable supply chain management: linking research and practice
Beske-Janssen, P., Schaltegger, S. & Liedke, S., 2019, Handbook on the Sustainable Supply Chain. Sarkis, J. (ed.). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing, p. 331-356 26 p. (Research handbooks in business and management series).Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research › peer-review
- Published
Performance of conventional multi-barrier drinking water treatment plants for the removal of four artificial sweeteners
Scheurer, M., Storck, F. R., Brauch, H. J. & Lange, F. T., 06.2010, In: Water Research. 44, 12, p. 3573-3584 12 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Performance of methods to select landscape metrics for modelling species richness
Schindler, S., von Wehrden, H., Poirazidis, K., Hochachka, W. M., Wrbka, T. & Kati, V., 10.01.2015, In: Ecological Modelling. 295, p. 107-112 6 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Performance of process-based models for simulation of grain N in crop rotations across Europe
Yin, X., Kersebaum, K. C., Kollas, C., Manevski, K., Baby, S., Beaudoin, N., Öztürk, I., Gaiser, T., Wu, L., Hoffmann, M., Charfeddine, M., Conradt, T., Constantin, J., Ewert, F., de Cortazar-Atauri, I. G., Giglio, L., Hlavinka, P., Hoffmann, H., Launay, M., Louarn, G., Manderscheid, R., Mary, B., Mirschel, W., Nendel, C., Pacholski, A., Palosuo, T., Ripoche-Wachter, D., P. Rötter, R., Ruget, F., Sharif, B., Trnka, M., Ventrella, D., Weigel, H. J. & E. Olesen, J., 01.06.2017, In: Agricultural Systems. 154, p. 63-77 15 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Performance of the Chemcatcher ® passive sampler when used to monitor 10 polar and semi-polar pesticides in 16 Central European streams, and comparison with two other sampling methods
Paschke, A., Vrana, B., Mueller, R., Liess, M. & Schäfer, R. B., 01.05.2008, In: Water Research. 42, 10-11, p. 2707-2717 11 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Performing Gender, Performing Space. Raumtheoretische Reflexionen zu einer interdisziplinären Forschungskategorie
Götschel, H., Mölders, T. & Strohmann, N. K., 2018, Wiederherstellen - Unterbrechen - Verändern?: Politiken der (Re-)Produktion. Onnen, C. & Rode-Breymann, S. (eds.). 1 ed. Opladen: Verlag Babara Budrich, p. 73-77 5 p. (L`AGENda; vol. 3).Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research
- Published
Periods of recent dune sand mobilisation in Cuddalore, Southeast India
Frechen, M., Ramachandran, R., Urban, B. & Kunz, J.-A., 09.2010, In: Zeitschrift der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Geowissenschaften. 161, 3, p. 353-368 16 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review