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

    Diversity-enhanced canopy space occupation and leaf functional diversity jointly promote overyielding in tropical tree communities

    Ray, T., Fichtner, A., Kunz, M., Proß, T., Bradler, P. M., Bruelheide, H., Georgi, L., Haider, S., Hildebrand, M., Potvin, C., Schnabel, F., Trogisch, S. & Oheimb, G. V., 15.11.2024, In: Science of the Total Environment. 951, 12 p., 175438.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Unveiling the Bounty: A Systematic Synthesis of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Mediterranean Lentil and Chickpea Cultivation Through Alternative Pulse Systems

    Vollheyde, A. L., Cebrián-Piqueras, M. & von Haaren, C., 09.2024, In: Legume Science. 6, 3, 20 p., e246.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Taxonomic and functional changes in mountain meadow communities four years after transplantation to a lowland environment

    Haider, S., Schaub, C. & Lachmuth, S., 01.07.2024, In: Journal of Vegetation Science. 35, 4, 16 p., e13280.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Biological measures to recover nitrogen compounds from liquid and solid streams

    Thielemann, A. K., Händel, N., Siddiqui, S. A., Aganovic, K., Kießling, M., Terjung, N., Smetana, S. & Pleißner, D., 01.09.2024, In: Sustainable Chemistry for the Environment. 7, 6 p., 100136.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Cradle to Cradle im Holzfertigbau: Analyse der Umsetzbarkeit des Cradle–to-Cradle-Prinzips bei Einfamilienhäusern in Holzfertigbauweise

    Lindner, S., 2023, Stuttgart: Fraunhofer IRB Verlag. 307 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  6. Published

    Leuphana Lernwerkstatt Lüneburg – multifunktionelle Ausrichtung eines inklusiven naturwissenschaftlichen Lehr-Lern-Raums

    Hofer, E. & Abels, S., 2024, Hochschullernwerkstätten im analogen und digitalen Raum: Perspektiven auf Didaktik und Forschung in innovativen Lernsettings. Weber, N., Moos, M. & Kucharz, D. (eds.). Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt, p. 254-262 9 p. (Lernen und Studieren in Lernwerkstätten).

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

  7. Published

    Land use modulates resistance of grasslands against future climate and inter-annual climate variability in a large field experiment

    Korell, L., Andrzejak, M., Berger, S., Durka, W., Haider, S., Hensen, I., Herion, Y., Höfner, J., Kindermann, L., Klotz, S., Knight, T. M., Linstädter, A., Madaj, A. M., Merbach, I., Michalski, S., Plos, C., Roscher, C., Schädler, M., Welk, E. & Auge, H., 01.07.2024, In: Global Change Biology. 30, 7, 16 p., e17418.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Die Institutionalisierung von Klimaräten durch Klimaschutzgesetzgebung

    Schatz, V., Newig, J. & Pfeffer, J., 07.2024, In: Natur und Recht. 46, 7, p. 433-442 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Soil conditions modify species diversity effects on tree functional trait expression

    Davrinche, A. & Haider, S., 12.2024, In: Scientific Reports. 14, 1, 16 p., 17114.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Shifts in plant functional trait dynamics in relation to soil microbiome in modern and wild barley

    Kumar, A., Kuznetsova, O., Gschwendtner, S., Chen, H., Alonso-Crespo, I. M., Yusuf, M., Schulz, S., Bonkowski, M., Schloter, M. & Temperton, V. M., 11.2024, In: Plants People Planet. 6, 6, p. 1398-1412 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review