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. 2011
  2. Published

    Joint Management-Stakeholder Committees: A New Path to Stakeholder Governance?

    Spitzeck, H., Hansen, E. G. & Grayson, D., 10.2011, In: Corporate Governance. 11, 5, p. 560–568 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Kleidungspraktiken erforschen! „Kulturelle Dimensionen“ der Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung befragen

    Offen, S., 10.2011, In: www.widerstreit-sachunterricht.de. 17, 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  4. Published

    Stability of pollination services decreases with isolation from natural areas despite honey bee visits

    Garibaldi, L. A., Steffan-Dewenter, I., Kremen, C., Morales, J. M., Bommarco, R., Cunningham, S. A., Carvalheiro, L. G., Chacoff, N. P., Dudenhöffer, J. H., Greenleaf, S. S., Holzschuh, A., Isaacs, R., Krewenka, K., Mandelik, Y., Mayfield, M. M., Morandin, L. A., Potts, S. G., Ricketts, T. H., Szentgyörgyi, H., Viana, B. F., Westphal, C., Winfree, R. & Klein, A. M., 10.2011, In: Ecology Letters. 14, 10, p. 1062-1072 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  5. Published

    Stoffstromnetzbasierte Planung und Optimierung komplexer Produktionssysteme

    Viere, T., Brünner, H. & Hedemann, J., 10.2011, In: Chemie-Ingenieur-Technik. 83, 10, p. 1565-1572 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Sustainability Innovation Contests: Evaluating Contributions with an Eco Impact-Innovativeness Typology

    Hansen, E. G., Bullinger, A. C. & Reichwald, R., 10.2011, In: International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development. 5, 2/3, p. 221–245 25 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published
  8. Published
  9. Published

    Vertical emission profiles for Europe based on plume rise calculations

    Bieser, J., Aulinger, A., Matthias, V., Quante, M. & Denier Van Der Gon, H. A. C., 10.2011, In: Environmental Pollution. 159, 10, p. 2935-2946 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Identifying the Research and Infrastructure Needs for the Global Assessment of Hazardous Chemicals Ten Years after Establishing the Stockholm Convention

    Klánová, J., Diamond, M., Jones, K., Lammel, G., Lohmann, R., Pirrone, N., Scheringer, M., Balducci, C., Bidleman, T., Bláha, K., Bláha, L., Booij, K., Bouwman, H., Breivik, K., Eckhardt, S., Fiedler, H., Garrigues, P., Harner, T., Holoubek, I., Hung, H., MacLeod, M., Magulova, K., Mosca, S., Pistocchi, A., Simonich, S., Smedes, F., Stephanou, E., Sweetman, A., Sebková, K., Venier, M., Vighi, M., Vrana, B., Wania, F., Weber, R. & Weiss, P., 15.09.2011, In: Environmental Science & Technology. 45, 18, p. 7617-7619 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  11. Published

    Pitfalls and potential of institutional change: rain-index insurance and the sustainability of rangeland management

    Müller, B., Quaas, M., Frank, K. & Baumgärtner, S., 15.09.2011, In: Ecological Economics. 70, 11, p. 2137-2144 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review