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.
- Published
Temporal variability in native plant composition clouds impact of increasing non-native richness along elevational gradients in Tenerife
Buhaly, M., Ratier Backes, A., Arévalo, J. R. & Haider, S., 01.03.2025, In: Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics. 66, 10 p., 125845.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Temporal variations of perfluoroalkyl substances and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in alpine snow
Kirchgeorg, T., Dreyer, A., Gabrieli, J., Kehrwald, N., Sigl, M., Schwikowski, M., Boutron, C., Gambaro, A., Barbante, C. & Ebinghaus, R., 01.07.2013, In: Environmental Pollution. 178, p. 367-374 8 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Temporäre Nutzungen: Stadtgestalt zwischen Selbstorganisation und Steuerung
Kruse, S. & Steglich, A., 2006, Lüneburg: Universität Lüneburg, 20 p. (Werkstattberichte Umweltstrategien; no. 3).Research output: Working paper › Working papers
- Published
Temporäre Nutzungen: Stadtgestalt zwischen Selbstorganisation und Steuerung
Kruse, S. & Steglich, A., 2006, Dissidente Praktiken: Erfahrungen mit herrschafts- und warenkritischer Selbstorganisation. Möller, C., Peters, U. & Vellay, I. (eds.). Königstein: Ulrike Helmer Verlag, p. 73-92 19 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research
- Published
Temporäre Nutzungen urbaner Brachflächen: Übergänge in der nachhaltigen Siedlungsentwicklung
Kruse, S., 2006, Fläche – Zukunft – Raum: Strategien und Instrumente für Regionen im Umbruch. Genske, D., Huch, M. & Müller, B. (eds.). Hannover: Deutsche Geologische Gesellschaft – Geologische Vereinigung, p. 194-202 9 p. (Schriften der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Geowissenschaften; no. 37).Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research
- Published
Ten essentials for action-oriented and second order energy transitions, transformations and climate change research
Fazey, I., Schäpke, N., Caniglia, G., Patterson, J., Hultman, J., van Mierlo, B., Säwe, F., Wiek, A., Wittmayer, J., Aldunce, P., Al Waer, H., Battacharya, N., Bradbury, H., Carmen, E., Colvin, J., Cvitanovic, C., D'Souza, M., Gopel, M., Goldstein, B., Hämäläinen, T., Harper, G., Henfry, T., Hodgson, A., Howden, M. S., Kerr, A., Klaes, M., Lyon, C., Midgley, G., Moser, S., Mukherjee, N., Müller, K., O'Brien, K., O'Connell, D. A., Olsson, P., Page, G., Reed, M. S., Searle, B., Silvestri, G., Spaiser, V., Strasser, T., Tschakert, P., Uribe-Calvo, N., Waddell, S., Rao-Williams, J., Wise, R., Wolstenholme, R., Woods, M. & Wyborn, C., 01.06.2018, In: Energy Research and Social Science. 40, June 2018, p. 54-70 17 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Published
Tentative Theses on Transformative Research in Real-World Laboratories: First Insights from the Accompanying Research ForReal
Schäpke, N., Stelzer, F., Bergmann, M. & Lang, D. J., 01.11.2016, In: Technikfolgenabschätzung. 25, 3, p. 45-51 7 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research
- Published
TERIM – Transition Dynamics in Energy Regions: An Integrated Model for Sustainable Policies
Binder, C. R., Absenger-Helmli, I., Bedenik, K., Chappin, E., Dijkema, G., Goetz, A., Hecher, M., Knoeri, C. & Vilsmaier, U., 2014, Tagungsband 15. Klimatag: 2.–4. April 2014. Innsbruch: Universität Innsbruck , p. 78-79 2 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Published abstract in conference proceedings › Research › peer-review
- Published
Terpenoids tame aggressors: role of chemicals in stingless bee communal nesting
Leonhardt, S., Jung, L.-M., Schmitt, T. & Blüthgen, N., 09.2010, In: Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 64, 9, p. 1415-1423 9 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Terror Management Theory and the Existential Psychological Function of Heroes
Schindler, S., 01.10.2024, Encyclopedia of Heroism Studies. Allison, S. T., Beggan, J. K. & Goethals, G. R. (eds.). Springer International Publishing, p. 2050-2055 6 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Articles for encyclopedia › Research