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

    Lebensplanung, Politik und soziale Gerechtigkeit: Geschlechtersensible politische Bildung zwischen Träumen und prekären Verhältnissen

    Offen, S. & Schmidt, J., 2012, Jungen-Pädagogik: Praxis und Theorie von Genderpädagogik. Chwalek, D.-T., Diaz, M., Fegter, S. & Graff, U. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Springer VS, p. 133-145 13 p. (Kinder, Kindheiten, Kindheitsforschung; vol. 6).

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

  2. Published

    Forbidden love“ – narratives of love, belonging and deviance in adolescence

    Offen, S., 03.2011, GEXcel Work in Progress Report: Proceedings from GEXcel Theme 10 : Love in Our Time - A Question For Feminism Conference of Workshops 2-4 December 2010. Strid, S. & Jonasdottir, A. G. (eds.). GEXcel, Vol. IX. p. 65-69 5 p. (Tema Genus Report Series; no. 9)(CFS Report Series; no. 15).

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

  3. Published

    Neue Wege für Jungs – Das Ende der Normalarbeitsbiographie und Konsequenzen für Konzepte in der Arbeit zu beruflichen Übergängen und Bewältigungsaufgaben für chancenarme junge Männer. Das Konzept „Arbeit ist nur das halbe Leben...“

    Offen, S. & Schmidt, J., 2008, Wegweiser ins Arbeitsleben. Kooperationsmodelle und Integrationsstrategien beim Übergang Jugendlicher von der Schule in den Beruf. : Dokumentation der Fachtagung am 24./ 25. April 2008. Jessen, D. (ed.). Verein für Kommunalwisseenschaften , 9 p. (Aktuelle Beiträge zur Kinder- und Jugendhilfe; no. 68).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsTransfer

  4. Published

    Von Lebensträumen und prekären Verhältnissen... Politische Jugendbildung für junge Männer zu Berufsorientierung und Lebensplanung

    Offen, S. & Schmidt, J., 2007, In: Praxis politische Bildung. 11, 4, p. 262-268 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  5. Published
  6. Published

    Overview of a Proposed Ecological Risk Assessment Process for Honey bees (Apis mellifera) and Non‐Apis Bees

    Steeger, T., Alix, A., Moriarty, T., Fischer, D. L., Fischer, R., Brittain, C., Johnson, R. M., Johansen, E., Streissel, F., Miles, M. M., Lee-Steere, C. & Fry, M., 14.07.2014, Pesticide Risk Assessment for Pollinators. Fischer, D. & Moriarty, T. (eds.). Wiley Online Library, p. 121-148 28 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  7. Published

    Organic farming in isolated landscapes does not benefit flower-visiting insects and pollination

    Brittain, C., Vighi, M., Bommarco, R., Settele, J. & Potts, S. G., 08.2010, In: Biological Conservation. 143, 8, p. 1860-1867 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Impacts of a pesticide on pollinator species richness at different spatial scales

    Brittain, C., Vighi, M., Bommarco, R., Settele, J. & Potts, S. G., 03.2010, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 11, 2, p. 106-115 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Auenböden der Elbe als Archiv für die Stoffdynamik im Einzugsgebiet

    Urban, B., Krüger, F., Weniger, T., Prüter, J., Keienburg, T., Lang, F. & Graf, M., 2011, Böden verstehen, Böden nutzen, Böden fit machen: Jahrestagung der Deutschen Bodenkundlichen Gesellschaft. Deutsche Bodenkundliche Gesellschaft (DBG), p. 42-59 17 p. (Mitteilungen der Deutschen Bodenkundlichen Gesellschaft; no. 114).

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

  10. Published

    Adaptation strategies for sustainable water management of lake Nasser, Egypt, to climate change

    Elba, E., Urban, B. & Farghaly, D., 2011, International Conference on the Status and Future of the World’s Large Rivers: Conference Abstract Book. Habersack, H., Schober, B. & Walling, D. (eds.). Tribun EU, p. 385 1 p.

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