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. 2013
  2. Published

    Is small beautiful? The debate on the future of small individual farms in Poland

    Szumelda, A. U., 01.12.2013, In: Eastern European Countryside (EEC). 19, 1, p. 219-250 32 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Working in regional agro-food networks – Strengthening rural development through cooperation

    Burandt, A., Lang, F. J., Schrader, R. & Thiem, A., 01.12.2013, In: Eastern European Countryside (EEC). 19, 1, p. 153-176 24 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    A suite of multiplexed microsatellite loci for the ground beetle Abax parallelepipedus (Piller and Mitterpacher, 1783) (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

    Marcus, T., Assmann, T., Durka, W. & Drees, C., 12.2013, In: Conservation Genetics Resources. 5, 4, p. 1151-1156 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Competition between honey bees and wild bees and the role of nesting resources in a nature reserve

    Hudewenz, A. & Klein, A.-M., 12.2013, In: Journal of Insect Conservation. 17, 6, p. 1275-1283 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Hydraulic fracturing wastewater in Germany: Composition, treatment, concerns

    Olsson, O., Weichgrebe, D. & Rosenwinkel, K.-H., 12.2013, In: Environmental Earth Sciences . 70, 8, p. 3895-3906 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    IUCN and perspectives on biodiversity conservation in a changing world

    Beumer, C. & Martens, P., 12.2013, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 22, 13-14, p. 3105-3120 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Long-term trends in tree-ring width and isotope signatures (δ13C, δ15N) of Fagus sylvatica L. on soils with contrasting water supply

    Härdtle, W., Niemeyer, T., Aßmann, T., Baiboks, S., Fichtner, A., Friedrich, U., Lang, A. C., Neuwirth, B., Pfister, L., Ries, C., Schuldt, A., Simon, N. & Oheimb, G., 12.2013, In: Ecosystems. 16, 8, p. 1413-1428 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Neue Wege

    Kümmerer, K., 12.2013, Zukunft Chemie: Perspektiven auf die Welt von morgen. Mohr, R. & Utikal, H. (eds.). Frankfurt: F.A.Z.-Institut für Management-, Markt- und Medieninformationen GmbH, p. 214-235 6 p.

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

  10. Published

    Post-dispersal seed predation of three grassland species in a plant diversity experiment

    Pufal, G. & Klein, A.-M., 12.2013, In: The Journal of Ecology. 6, 6, p. 468-479 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Spatial and seasonal distribution of trace metals in floodplain soils: A case study with the middle Elbe river, Germany

    Schulz-Zunkel, C., Krüger, F., Rupp, H., Meißner, R., Gruber, B., Gerisch, M. & Bork, H. R., 12.2013, In: Geoderma. 211-212, p. 128-137 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review