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

    Energy-Efficient Supply of Hot Water: When a decentralized system makes sense

    Petersen, H. & Schock, M., 2015, Lüneburg: Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, 25 p.

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsTransfer

  2. Published

    Der Weg des Goldes: Ein Ratgeber zu ökofairem Schmuck

    Schäffler, A. & Petersen, H., 2015, Lüneburg: Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, 17 p.

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsTransfer

  3. Published

    Energieeffiziente Warmwasserversorgung: Wann dezentrale Systeme sinnvoll sind

    Petersen, H. & Schock, M., 2015, Lüneburg: Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, 25 p.

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsTransfer

  4. Published

    Hygienerecht in Landschlachtereien: Anforderungen an kleine handwerklich strukturierte Betriebe

    Schäffler, A. & Petersen, H., 2015, Lüneburg: Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, 28 p.

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsTransfer

  5. Published

    Die Zukunftsbäckerei: Regional, traditionell, bio – was den Bäckereifachbetrieb nachhaltig macht

    Weber, U., Dietschmann, R. & Lühr, J., 2015, Lüneburg: Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, 37 p.

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsTransfer

  6. Published

    Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement mit System: Ein Leitfaden für den Mittelstand

    Weber, U., Lühr, J. & Johnson, M., 2015, Lüneburg: Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, 37 p.

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsTransfer

  7. Published

    An integrative analysis of energy transitions in energy regions: A case study of ökoEnergieland in Austria

    Hecher, M., Vilsmaier, U., Akhavan, R. & Binder, C. R., 01.01.2016, In: Ecological Economics. 121 , Januar 2016, p. 40-53 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Sustainability: Politics and Governance

    Heinrichs, H. & Biermann, F., 01.2016, Sustainability Science: An introduction. Heinrichs, H., Martens, P., Michelsen, G. & Wiek, A. (eds.). Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, p. 129-137 9 p.

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

  9. Published

    Nachhaltiger Konsum – Der Unterschied zwischen subjektiv und objektiv um-weltfreundlichem Kaufverhalten

    Haubach, C. & Moser, A., 2016, Forschung für Nachhaltigkeit an deutschen Hochschulen. Leal Filho, W. (ed.). Wiesbaden: Springer Spektrum, p. 297-311 15 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  10. 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/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review