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

    Politik zwischen Stadt und Land: Die Bedeutung des Ruralen im Streit um Agro-Gentechnik

    Friedrich, B., 2018, Rurbane Landschaften: Perspektiven des Ruralen in einer urbanisierten Welt. Sigrun, L. & Fröhlich-Kulik, M. (eds.). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 263-274 12 p. (Rurale Topografien; vol. 7).

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

  3. Published

    Global trait–environment relationships of plant communities

    Bruelheide, H., Dengler, J., Purschke, O., Lenoir, J., Jiménez-Alfaro, B., Hennekens, S. M., Botta-Dukát, Z., Chytrý, M., Field, R., Jansen, F., Kattge, J., Pillar, V. D., Schrodt, F., Mahecha, M. D., Peet, R. K., Sandel, B., van Bodegom, P., Altman, J., Alvarez-Dávila, E., Arfin Khan, M. A. S., Attorre, F., Aubin, I., Baraloto, C., Barroso, J. G., Bauters, M., Bergmeier, E., Biurrun, I., Bjorkman, A. D., Blonder, B., Čarni, A., Cayuela, L., Černý, T., Cornelissen, J. H. C., Craven, D., Dainese, M., Derroire, G., De Sanctis, M., Díaz, S., Doležal, J., Farfan-Rios, W., Feldpausch, T. R., Fenton, N. J., Garnier, E., Guerin, G. R., Gutiérrez, A. G., Haider, S., Hattab, T., Henry, G., Hérault, B., Higuchi, P., Hölzel, N., Homeier, J., Jentsch, A., Jürgens, N., Kącki, Z., Karger, D. N., Kessler, M., Kleyer, M., Knollová, I., Korolyuk, A. Y., Kühn, I., Laughlin, D. C., Lens, F., Loos, J., Louault, F., Lyubenova, M. I., Malhi, Y., Marcenò, C., Mencuccini, M., Müller, J. V., Munzinger, J., Myers-Smith, I. H., Neill, D. A., Niinemets, Ü., Orwin, K. H., Ozinga, W. A., Penuelas, J., Pérez-Haase, A., Petřík, P., Phillips, O. L., Pärtel, M., Reich, P. B., Römermann, C., Rodrigues, A. V., Sabatini, F. M., Sardans, J., Schmidt, M., Seidler, G., Silva Espejo, J. E., Silveira, M., Smyth, A., Sporbert, M., Svenning, J. C., Tang, Z., Thomas, R., Tsiripidis, I., Vassilev, K., Violle, C., Virtanen, R., Weiher, E., Welk, E., Wesche, K., Winter, M., Wirth, C. & Jandt, U., 01.12.2018, In: Nature Ecology & Evolution. 2, 12, p. 1906-1917 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Local and landscape level variables influence butterfly diversity in critically endangered South African renosterveld

    Topp, E. & Loos, J., 15.04.2019, In: Journal of Insect Conservation. 23, 2, p. 225-237 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    A highly endangered species on the edge: distribution, habitat use and outlook for Colias myrmidone in newly established Natura 2000 areas in Romania

    Loos, J., Vizauer, T.-C., Kastal, A., Davies, M., Hedrich, H. & Dolek, M., 01.03.2020, In: Environment, Development and Sustainability. 22, 3, p. 2399-2414 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Implementing Education for Sustainable Development in teacher education: case studies from Germany

    Kater-Wettstädt, L., Bruhn, K., Bürgener, L. & Barth, M., 2019, Environmental Education. Lahiri, S. (ed.). Delhi: Studera Press, p. 13-32 20 p. 2

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

  7. Published

    Long-Term Abandonment of Forest Management Has a Strong Impact on Tree Morphology and Wood Volume Allocation Pattern of European Beech (Fagus Sylvatica L.)

    Georgi, L., Kunz, M., Fichtner, A., Härdtle, W., Reich, K. F., Sturm, K., Welle, T. & von Oheimb, G., 13.11.2018, In: Forests. 9, 11, 16 p., 704.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Bewertung der Nachhaltigkeit von Software: Entwicklung einer Umweltkennzeichnung

    Kern, E., Guldner, A. & Naumann, S., 2018, Nachhaltige Betriebliche Umweltinformationssysteme. Arndt, H.-K., Gomez, J. M., Wohlgemuth, V., Lehmann, S. & Pleshkanovska, R. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden, p. 9-19 11 p. (Nachhaltige Betriebliche Umweltinformationssysteme).

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

  9. Published

    Sustainable software products—Towards assessment criteria for resource and energy efficiency

    Kern, E., Hilty, L. M., Guldner, A., Maksimov, Y. V., Filler, A., Gröger, J. & Naumann, S., 01.09.2018, In: Future Generation Computer Systems. 86, p. 199-210 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    On how business students’ personal values and sustainability conceptions impact their sustainability management orientation: Evidence from Germany, Indonesia and the USA

    Seidel, J., Sundermann, A., Brieger, S. A., Strathoff, P., Jacob, G. H., Antonio, T. & Utami, C. W., 19.11.2018, In: Journal of Global Responsibility. 9, 4, p. 335-354 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review