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

    Visionen, Institutionen und Infrastrukturen als Elemente der Energietransformation

    Binder, C. R., Hecher, M. & Vilsmaier, U., 06.11.2014, Klima von unten: Regionale Governance und gesellschaftlicher Wandel. Böschen, S., Gill, B., Kropp, C. & Vogel, K. (eds.). 1 ed. Frankfurt am Main: Campus Verlag, p. 267-286 20 p.

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

  2. Published

    Auf der Suche nach Räumen generativer Bildung

    Brandner, V., Winter, P. & Vilsmaier, U., 28.05.2015, Bildung und ungleiche Entwicklung : Globale Konvergenzen & Divergenzen in der Bildungswelt. Faschingeder, G. & Kolland, F. (eds.). 1 ed. Wien: New Academic Press, p. 74 - 92 19 p. (Historische Sozialkunde / Internationale Entwicklung; vol. 34)(Journal für Entwicklungspolitik / Ergänzungsband; vol. 26).

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

  3. Published

    Good Practice: Reader für guten Nachhaltigkeitsjournalismus: Was ist Qualität im Nachhaltigkeitsjornalismus

    Achenbach, A. (Editor), Humburg, A. (Editor), Fischer, D. (Editor), Marwege, R. (Editor) & Michelsen, G. (Editor), 2015, Lüneburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften. 136 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesTransfer

  4. Published

    Technological Innovation System des Schwungmassenspeichers: Analyse der Strukturen und Funktionen sowie Bewertung von Anwendungsfeldern

    Czernin, F., 2015, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, p. 1-95, 96 p.

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  5. Published

    Sustainability Communication

    Fischer, D., Lüdecke, G., Godemann, J., Michelsen, G., Newig, J., Rieckmann, M. & Schulz, D., 2016, Sustainability Science: An Introduction. Heinrichs, H., Martens, P., Michelsen, G. & Wiek, A. (eds.). Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, p. 139-148 10 p.

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

  6. Published

    Hygieneanforderungen für handwerklich strukturierte Schlachtbetriebe

    Schäffler, A. & Schomerus, C.-T., 2015, Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft. 110 p. (Lüneburger Schriften zum Wirtschaftsrecht; vol. 29)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  7. Published

    Pumpspeicher an Bundeswasserstraßen: Technische, wirtschaftliche und rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen am Beispiel des Elbe-Seitenkanals

    Degenhart, H. (Editor), Schomerus, C.-T. (Editor) & Schulz, D. (Editor), 17.12.2015, Springer Vieweg. 107 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  8. Published

    Leading Practice Publication: Professional development of university educators on Education for Sustainable Development in European countries

    Michelsen, G. (Editor), Kapitulcinova, D. (Editor), Dlouha, J. (Editor), Dlouhy, J. (Editor), Ryan, A. (Editor), Barton, A. (Editor), Tilbury, D. (Editor), Mula, I. (Editor), Benayas, J. (Editor), Alba, D. (Editor), Mally, K. V. (Editor), Mader, C. (Editor) & Mader, M. (Editor), 2015, Prague: Charles University, Prague. 134 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  9. Published

    Sustainability Science: An Introduction

    Heinrichs, H. (Editor), Martens, W. J. M. (Editor), Michelsen, G. (Editor) & Wiek, A. (Editor), 01.2016, Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands. 367 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesEducation

  10. Published

    Environmental effects of sustainability management tools: An empirical analysis of large companies

    Hörisch, J., Ortas, E., Schaltegger, S. & Álvarez, I., 01.12.2015, In: Ecological Economics. 120, p. 241-249 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review