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

    Characterizing and evaluating successional pathways of fen degradation and restoration

    Schrautzer, J., Sival, F., Breuer, M., Runhaar, H. & Fichtner, A., 02.2013, In: Ecological Indicators. 25, p. 108-120 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Characterization of selected microalgae and cyanobacteria as sources of compounds with antioxidant capacity

    Almendinger, M., Saalfrank, F., Rohn, S., Kurth, E., Springer, M. & Pleissner, D., 01.03.2021, In: Algal Research. 53, 102168.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published
  4. Published

    Characterization and ranking of biodiversity hotspots: centres of species richness and endemism

    Hobohm, C., 01.02.2003, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 12, 2, p. 279-287 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  5. Published

    Characteristics, emerging needs, and challenges of transdisciplinary sustainability science: experiences from the German Social-Ecological Research Program

    Ruppert-Winkel, C., Arlinghaus, R., Deppisch, S., Eisenack, K., Gottschlich, D., Hirschl, B., Matzdorf, B., Mölders, T., Padmanabhan, M., Selbmann, K., Ziegler, R. & Plieninger, T., 09.2015, In: Ecology and Society. 20, 3, 17 p., 13.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Characterising landscape homogenisation: a qualitative approach based on five case studies

    Cortés-Capano, G., Shumi, G., Raatikainen, K. J., Mahdavi-Nezhad, Z. & Loos, J., 04.2025, In: Ecosystems and People. 21, 1, 13 p., 2485282.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Characterising and identifying gaps in sustainability assessments of tourism - a review

    Balas, M. & Abson, D. J., 01.07.2022, In: Tourism Management Perspectives. 43, 101004.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  8. Published

    Changing the Rules: Business-NGO Partnership and Structuration Theory

    Schneidewind, U. & Petersen, H., 1998, In: Greener Management International. 24, Winter, p. 105-114 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Accepted/In press

    Changing the decision context to enable social learning for climate adaptation

    Colloff, M. J., Gorddard, R., Munera-Roldán, C., Locatelli, B., Lavorel, S., Allain, S., Bruley, E., Butler, J. R. A., Dubo, T., Enokenwa Baa, O., González-García, A., Lécuyer, L., Lo, M., Loos, J., Palomo, I., Topp, E., Vallet, A. & Walters, G., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: People and Nature.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

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Researchers

  1. Marcelo Luis Wilde

Publications

  1. Parliaments in time