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
Values shift in response to social learning through deliberation about protected areas
Andrade, R., van Riper, C. J., Goodson, D. J., Johnson, D. N., Stewart, W., López-Rodríguez, M. D., Cebrián-Piqueras, M. A., Horcea-Milcu, A. I., Lo, V. & Raymond, C. M., 01.01.2023, In: Global Environmental Change. 78, 12 p., 102630.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Valuing beaches for beauty and recreation only? Uncovering perception bias through a hashtag analysis
Wahler, H., Fanini, L. & Riechers, M., 01.09.2023, In: Marine Policy. 155, 105707.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research
- Published
Valuing Climate Change Effects Upon UK Agricultural GHG Emissions: Spatial Analysis of a Regulating Ecosystem Service
Abson, D., Termansen, M., Pascual, U., Aslam, U., Fezzi, C. & Bateman, I. J., 02.2014, In: Environmental and Resource Economics. 57, 2, p. 215-231 17 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Valuing electronic devices? User narratives and their role for durability
Hipp, T. & Fischer, D., 18.10.2023, Durable Economies: Organizing the Material Foundations of Society. Jaeger-Erben, M., Wiesner, H., Marwede, M. & Hoffmann, F. (eds.). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 131-157 27 p. (Labor and Organization; vol. 10).Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research › peer-review
- Published
Variable social-ecological indicators across a Tanzanian protected area network
Vallin, J., Raycraft, J., Bettermann, D., Kioko, J., Kissui, B. M., Koester, S., Lindsay, K., Ole, E. M., Ramirez, E., Spizuco, B., Loos, J. & Kiffner, C., 08.2025, In: Biological Conservation. 308, 25 p., 111214.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Variation in nectar quality across 34 grassland plant species
Venjakob, C., Ruedenauer, F. A., Klein, A.-M. & Leonhardt, S. D., 01.01.2022, In: Plant Biology. 24, 1, p. 134-144 11 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Variation in short-term and long-term responses of photosynthesis and isoprenoid-mediated photoprotection to soil water availability in four Douglas-fir provenances
Junker, L. V., Kleiber, A., Jansen, K., Wildhagen, H., Hess, M., Kayler, Z., Kammerer, B., Schnitzler, J.-P., Kreuzwieser, J., Gessler, A. & Ensminger, I., 10.01.2017, In: Scientific Reports. 7, 16 p., 40145.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Variation in wood density across South American tropical forests
Author Collaboration für "Variation in wood density across South American tropical forests", Sullivan, M. J. P., Phillips, O. L., Galbraith, D., Almeida, E., de Oliveira, E. A., Almeida, J. & Klipel, J., 12.2025, In: Nature Communications. 16, 1, 12 p., 2351.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Vasodilatierende Substanzen in Kläranlagenabläufen und Oberflächengewässern
Hensen, B., Faubel, C., Palm, W.-U. & Steffen, D., 04.2017, Wasser, Energie und Umwelt: Aktuelle Beiträge aus der Zeitschrift Wasser und Abfall I. Porth, M. & Schüttrumpf, H. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Springer Verlag, p. 208-215 8 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research › peer-review
- Published
Vasodilatierende Substanzen in Kläranlagenabläufen und Oberflächengewässern
Hensen, B., Faubel, C., Palm, W. U. & Steffen, D., 12.2015, In: Wasser und Abfall. 17, 12, p. 44-49 6 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review