School of Sustainability
Organisational unit: Research School
- Centre for Sustainability Management (CSM)
- Institute of Ecology
- Institute of Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research
- Institute of Sustainability Governance
- Institute of Sustainability Material Flows and Circularity
- Institute of Sustainability Psychology
- Institute of Sustainable Chemistry
- Social-Ecological Systems Institute (SESI)
- Sustainability Education and Transdisciplinary Research Institute
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.
- Published
System capacities and implementation challenges in Germany's electric vehicle policy mix: an actor-centered review of the policy mix
Gathen, L., Upham, P. & Newig, J., 08.2025, In: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 218, 12 p., 115787.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Efficacy of a Self-Guided Internet Intervention With Optional On-Demand Feedback Versus Digital Psychoeducation on Sleep Hygiene for University Students With Insomnia: Randomized Controlled Trial
Zarski, A. C., Bernstein, K., Baumeister, H., Lehr, D., Wernicke, S., Küchler, A. M., Kählke, F., Spiegelhalder, K. & Ebert, D. D., 08.05.2025, In: Journal of Medical Internet Research. 27, e58024.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Sensemaking and abductive reasoning for transformative biodiversity conservation
Cortés-Capano, G., Loos, J., Hausmann, A. & Kortetmäki, T., 06.2025, In: People and Nature. 7, 6, p. 1296-1308 13 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Published
Inquiry-based learning as an approach to realize inclusive science education
Hofer, E. & Abels, S., 29.05.2025, Innovative Teaching and Classroom Processes: Research Perspectives from Germany and China. Ehmke, T. & Chi-Kin Lee, J. (eds.). Taylor and Francis Inc., p. 74-87 14 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Chapter › peer-review
- Published
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., 06.2025, In: People and Nature. 7, 6, p. 1425-1442 18 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Digital Health Literacy of Children and Adolescents and Its Association With Sociodemographic Factors: Representative Study Findings From Germany
Stauch, L., Renninger, D., Rangnow, P., Hartmann, A., Fischer, L., Dadaczynski, K. & Okan, O., 05.05.2025, In: Journal of Medical Internet Research. 27, 15 p., e69170.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Variable social-ecological indicators across a Tanzanian protected area network
Vallin, J., Raycraft, J., Bettermann, D., Kioko, J., Kissui, B. M., Koester, S., Lindsay, K., Ole, E. M., Ramirez, E., Spizuco, B., Loos, J. & Kiffner, C., 08.2025, In: Biological Conservation. 308, 25 p., 111214.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Structure and dynamics of secondary and mature rainforests: insights from South Asian long-term monitoring plots
Murali, A., Kasinathan, S., Bhat, K., Ratnam, J., Sankaran, M., Mudappa, D., Raman, T. R. S. & Osuri, A. M., 2025, In: Plant Ecology and Diversity. 18, 1-2, p. 55-67 13 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- E-pub ahead of print
Why context matters: Understanding transdisciplinary research through the lens of nine context factors
Tolksdorf, F., Jimenez-Aceituno, A., Frölich, N. M., Amoah, N. A. B., Grauer, C., Baird, J., Ballnat, C., Horcea-Milcu, A. I., König, B., Pedersen, R. L., Costa, M. M., Manuel-Navarrete, D., Martin, D. A., McGlynn, B., Mehring, M., Mühlthaler, S., Schneider, F., Singer-Brodowski, M., Vilalba, L., Weiser, A. & Lang, D. J., 12.07.2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Innovation - The European Journal of Social Science Research. 37 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
- Published
Ecological assessment of forest management approaches to develop resilient forests in the face of global change in Central Europe
Huth, F., Tischer, A., Nikolova, P., Feldhaar, H., Wehnert, A., Hülsmann, L., Bauhus, J., Heer, K., Vogt, J., Ammer, C., Berger, U., Bernhardt-Römermann, M., Böhme, M., Bugmann, H., Demant, L., Buse, J., Dörfler, I., Ewald, J., Feldmann, E., Fichtner, A., Gossner, M. M., Grams, T. E. E., Häberle, K.-H., Hagge, J., Hartmann, H., Herzog, S., Kahmen, A., Kohnle, U., Krabel, D., Krämer-Klement, K., Kreyling, J., Manthey, M., Mellert, K., Meyer, P., Mölder, A., Muffler-Weigel, L., Ohse, B., Opgenoorth, L., Rewald, B., Rothe, A., Ruehr, N., Scharnweber, T., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Schmeddes, J., Schmerbeck, J., Schmidt, M., Seidel, D., Thomas, F. M., Tiebel, M., von Oheimb, G., Wagner, S., Weigel, R., Wilmking, M., Zang, C. & Schuldt, B., 08.2025, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 86, p. 66-100 35 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research