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. 2020
  2. Published

    Barley shoot biomass responds strongly to N:P stoichiometry and intraspecific competition, whereas roots only alter their foraging

    Kumar, A., van Duijnen, R., Delory, B., Reichel, R., Brüggemann, N. & Temperton, V. M., 01.08.2020, In: Plant and Soil. 453, 1-2, p. 515-528 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Ensuring tests of conservation interventions build on existing literature

    Sutherland, W. J., Alvarez-Castañeda, S. T., Amano, T., Ambrosini, R., Atkinson, P., Baxter, J. M., Bond, A. L., Boon, P. J., Buchanan, K. L., Barlow, J., Bogliani, G., Bragg, O. M., Burgman, M., Cadotte, M. W., Calver, M., Cooke, S. J., Corlett, R. T., Devictor, V., Ewen, J. G., Fisher, M., Freeman, G., Game, E., Godley, B. J., Gortázar, C., Hartley, I. R., Hawksworth, D. L., Hobson, K. A., Lu, M. L., Martín-López, B., Ma, K., Machado, A., Maes, D., Mangiacotti, M., McCafferty, D. J., Melfi, V., Molur, S., Moore, A. J., Murphy, S. D., Norris, D., van Oudenhoven, A. P. E., Powers, J., Rees, E. C., Schwartz, M. W., Storch, I. & Wordley, C., 01.08.2020, In: Conservation Biology. 34, 4, p. 781-783 3 p.

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

  4. Published

    Temporal patterns in ecosystem services research: A review and three recommendations

    Rau, A.-L., Burkhardt, V., Dorninger, C., Hjort, C., Ibe, K., Keßler, L., Kristensen, J. A., McRobert, A., Sidemo-Holm, W., Zimmermann, H., Abson, D., Wehrden, H. & Ekroos, J., 01.08.2020, In: Ambio. 49, 8, p. 1377-1393 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  5. Published

    Aportes de la agrobiodiversidad a la sustentabilidad de la agricultura familiar en Colombia

    Acevedo Osorio, Á., Ortiz-Przychodzka, S. & Ortiz-Pinilla, J., 08.2020, In: Tropical and Subtropical Ecosystems. 23, 2, 18 p., 35.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Recent developments in microalgal conversion of organic-enriched waste streams

    Solovchenko, A., Lukyanov, A., Aswathanarayana, R. G., Pleissner, D. & Ambati, R. R., 08.2020, In: Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry. 24, p. 61-66 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  7. Published

    Naturwissenschaftliche Kompetenzen und Inklusion – Inklusion durch Kompetenzorientierung?

    Abels, S., 24.07.2020, Naturwissenschaftliche Kompetenzen in der Gesellschaft von morgen. : Gesellschaft für Didaktik der Chemie und Physik, Jahrestagung in Wien 2019. Habig, S. (ed.). Essen: Universität Duisburg-Essen, p. 20-29 10 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsTransfer

  8. Published

    Neue Formate transdisziplinärer Forschung: Ausdifferenzierte Brücken zwischen Wissenschaft und Praxis

    Grunwald, A., Schäfer, M. & Bergmann, M., 22.07.2020, In: GAIA. 29, 2, p. 106-114 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Design rules for environmental biodegradability of phenylalanine alkyl ester linked ionic liquids

    Suk, M., Haiß, A., Westphal, J., Jordan, A., Kellett, A., Kapitanov, I. V., Karpichev, Y., Gathergood, N. & Kümmerer, K., 21.07.2020, In: Green Chemistry . 22, 14, p. 4498-4508 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Transformative learning in the field of sustainability: a systematic literature review (1999-2019)

    Rodriguez Aboytes, J. G. & Barth, M., 17.07.2020, In: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. 21, 5, p. 993-1013 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  11. Published

    Farmers’ perceptions and knowledge of natural enemies as providers of biological control in cider apple orchards

    Martínez-Sastre, R., García, D., Miñarro, M. & Martín-López, B., 15.07.2020, In: Journal of Environmental Management. 266, 11 p., 110589.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review