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

    Polyfluorinated compounds in waste water treatment plant effluents and surface waters along the River Elbe, Germany

    Ahrens, L., Felizeter, S., Sturm, R., Xie, Z. & Ebinghaus, R., 01.09.2009, In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. 58, 9, p. 1326-1333 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Polyfluoroalkyl compounds in landfill leachates

    Busch, J., Ahrens, L., Sturm, R. & Ebinghaus, R., 05.2010, In: Environmental Pollution. 158, 5, p. 1467-1471 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Polyfluoroalkyl compounds in the East Greenland Arctic Ocean

    Busch, J., Ahrens, L., Xie, Z., Sturm, R. & Ebinghaus, R., 2010, In: Journal of Environmental Monitoring. 12, 6, p. 1242-1246 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Polymorphic microsatellite loci in the endangered butterfly Lycaena helle (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

    Habel, J. C., Finger, A., Meyer, M., Schmitt, T. & Aßmann, T., 15.05.2008, In: European Journal of Entomology. 105, 2, p. 361-362 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    PoNa als inter- und transdisziplinäres Experiment in der Sozial-ökologischen Forschung

    Bergmann, M., Gottschlich, D., Mölders, T. & Schramm, E., 02.2017, Politiken der Naturgestaltung : Ländliche Entwicklung und Agro-Gentechnik zwischen Kritik und Vision. Gottschlich, D. & Mölders, T. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Springer VS, p. 243-263 21 p.

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

  6. Published

    PoNa – Politiken der Naturgestaltung: Nachhaltigkeitsverständnis als Grundlage für die Analyse der Politikfelder Ländliche Entwicklung und Agro-Gentechnik

    Gottschlich, D., Mölders, T., Friedrich, B., Burandt, A., Sulmowski, J. A. & Szumelda, A. U., 2011, Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der wissenschaftlichen Politikanalyse. Weingarten, P., Banse, M., Gömann, H., Isermeyer, F., Nieberg, H., Offermann, F. & Wendt, H. (eds.). Münster-Hiltrup: Deutscher Landwirtschaftsverlag GmbH, p. 417-419 3 p. (Schriften der Gesellschaft für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften des Landbaues e. V.; vol. 46).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsResearch

  7. Published

    PoNa – Shaping Nature: Policy, Politics and Polity. Inter- and transdisciplinary research in the policy areas of rural development and agro-biotechnology

    Burandt, A., Friedrich, B., Gottschlich, D., Mölders, T., Szumelda, A. U. & Sulmowski, J. A., 2013, Cultivating Diversity! A Handbook on Transdisciplinary Approaches to Agrobiodiversity Research. Christinck, A. & Padmanabhan, M. (eds.). Weikersheim: Markgraf Publishers, p. 204

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

  8. Published

    Population ecology of the rare carabid beetle Carabus variolosus (Coleoptera : Carabidae) in North-west Germany

    Matern, A., Drees, C., Aßmann, T. & Meyer, H., 01.12.2008, In: Journal of Insect Conservation. 12, 6, p. 591-601 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Population genetics and ecological niche modelling reveal high fragmentation and potential future extinction of the endangered relict butterfly Lycaena helle

    Habel, J. C., Augenstein, B., Meyer, M., Nève, G., Rödder, D. & Aßmann, T., 2010, Relict species: Phylogeography and Conservation Biology. Habel, J. C. & Assmann, T. (eds.). Heidelberg [u.a.]: Springer Verlag, p. 417-439 23 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  10. Published

    Portfolio optimisation of power futures market: Evidence from France and Germany

    Fianu, E. S., 2018, In: International Journal of Public Policy. 14, 1-2, p. 120-144 25 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research