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. 2001
  2. Published

    "Green-ness" Can Be Measured

    Berkhout, F., Hertin, J., Carlens, J., Tyteca, D., Olsthoorn, X., Wagner, M. & Wehrmeyer, W., 2001, In: European Business Forum. 6, p. 42-47 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  3. Published
  4. Published
  5. Published

    Interessenpolitisches Umweltmanagement

    Schaltegger, S. & Petersen, H., 2001, Hagen: FernUniversität in Hagen.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsEducation

  6. Published

    Jahreszeitliche Veränderungen der Trockenwetterganglinie - Fallstudie für einen Fluss im europäischen Teil der Türkei

    Wittenberg, H. & Aksoy, H., 2001, In: Wasserwirtschaft. 91, 90, p. 38-41 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  7. Published

    Jenseits von Natur, Herrschaft und Geschlecht? Vier kritische Thesen zu Politik, Nachhaltigkeit und Wissenschaft

    Winterfeld, U., Wächter, M., Weber, I. & Katz, C., 2001, In: Politische Ökologie. 70, AGender 21, p. 48-52 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  8. Published

    Kollaborative Wissensnetzwerke in "Lernenden Verwaltungen": am Beispiel des praxisbezogenen Online-Kurses "Kommunales Projektmanagement"

    Adomßent, M., 2001, Virtueller Campus: Szenarien - Strategien - Studium. Wagner, E. & Kindt, M. (eds.). Münster [u.a.]: Waxmann Verlag, p. 39-47 9 p. (Medien in der Wissenschaft; vol. 14).

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

  9. Published

    Konflikte und Konfliktlösungsansätze bei der Planung von Offshore-Windkraftanlagen

    Mölders, T., 2001, In: UVP-Report. 4, p. 209-213 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  10. Published

    Kooperatives Umweltmanagement

    Schaltegger, S. & Petersen, H., 2001, Hagen: FernUniversität in Hagen.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCompendium/lecture notesEducation

  11. Published

    Kreierung zukunftsfähiger Lernkulturen: universitäre Gestaltungspotenziale in Zeiten des Wandels

    Adomßent, M., 2001, Kompetenz und Kreativität: eine Universität in Entwicklung ; Hartwig Donner zum 60. Geburtstag. Heilmann, J. (ed.). Lüneburg: UNIBUCH Verlag, p. 436-446 11 p.

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