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

    Slowing resource loops in the clothing industry through Circular Business Model Experimentation

    Bocken, N. M. P., Miller, K., Weissbrod, I., Holgado, M. & Evans, S., 11.2018, Sustainable Fashion in a Circular Economy. Niinimäki, K. (ed.). 1 ed. Espoo: Aalto ARTS Books, p. 152-169 18 p.

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

  2. Published

    Slowing resource loops in the Circular Economy: an experimentation approach in fashion retail

    Bocken, N. M. P., Miller, K., Weissbrod, I., Holgado, M. & Evans, S., 2019, Sustainable Design and Manufacturing 2018: Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Sustainable Design and Manufacturing (KES-SDM-18). Dao, D., Howlett, R. J., Setchi, R. & Vlacic, L. (eds.). Cham: Springer Nature, p. 164-173 10 p. (Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies; vol. 130).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Slow Fashion Geschäftsmodelle: Ein morphologischer Kasten für Gründer_innen

    Kohlhase, E. & Freudenreich, B., 2018, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 16 p.

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsResearch

  4. Published

    Skills and knowledge management in higher education: how service learning can contribute to social entrepreneurial competence development

    Halberstadt, J., Timm, J.-M., Kraus, S. & Gundolf, K., 11.12.2019, In: Journal of Knowledge Management. 23, 10, p. 1925-1948 24 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Six modes of co-production for sustainability

    Chambers, J. M., Wyborn, C., Ryan, M. E., Reid, R. S., Riechers, M., Serban, A., Bennett, N. J., Cvitanovic, C., Fernández-Giménez, M. E., Galvin, K. A., Goldstein, B. E., Klenk, N. L., Tengö, M., Brennan, R., Cockburn, J. J., Hill, R., Munera, C., Nel, J. L., Österblom, H., Bednarek, A. T., Bennett, E. M., Brandeis, A., Charli-Joseph, L., Chatterton, P., Curran, K., Dumrongrojwatthana, P., Durán, A. P., Fada, S. J., Gerber, J. D., Green, J. M. H., Guerrero, A. M., Haller, T., Horcea-Milcu, A. I., Leimona, B., Montana, J., Rondeau, R., Spierenburg, M., Steyaert, P., Zaehringer, J. G., Gruby, R., Hutton, J. & Pickering, T., 11.2021, In: Nature Sustainability. 4, 11, p. 983-996 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Site use of grazing cattle and sheep in a large-scale pasture landscape: a GPS/GIS assessment

    Putfarken, D., Dengler, J., Lehmann, S. & Härdtle, W., 01.05.2008, In: Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 111, 1-2, p. 54-67 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Site and neighborhood effects on growth of tree saplings in subtropical plantations (China).

    Li, Y., Härdtle, W., Bruehlheide, H., Nadrowski, K., Scholten, T., von Wehrden, H. & Oheimb, G., 01.09.2014, In: Forest Ecology and Management. 327, p. 118-127 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published
  9. Published

    Simultaneous Determination of 11 Sulfonamides by HPLC–UV and Application for Fast Screening of Their Aerobic Elimination and Biodegradation in a Simple Test

    Mahmoud, W. M. M., Khaleel, N. D. H., Hadad, G. M., Abdel-Salam, R. A., Haiß, A. & Kümmerer, K., 09.2013, In: Clean - Soil, Air, Water. 41, 9, p. 907-916 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Simulation und Vorhersage: Zur Adaption epistemischer Verfahren der Meteorologie in Alexander Kluges "Vierzehn Arten, den Regen zu beschreiben"

    Schrickel, I., 2017, Phänomene der Atmosphäre: Ein Kompendium Literarischer Meteorologie. Büttner, U. & Theilen, I. (eds.). Stuttgart: J.B. Metzler, p. 41-53 13 p.

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