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
  2. Published

    Higher Education for Sustainable Consumption: Concept and Results of a Transdisciplinary Project Course

    Fischer, D. & Rieckmann, M., 09.05.2010, In: Journal of Sustainability Education. 1, 2, p. 296–306 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesEducation

  3. Published

    "Brauchen wir einen Grünen im Vorstand?": [Kommentar]

    Schaltegger, S., 04.2011, In: Harvard Business Manager. 33, 4, p. 95 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  4. Published

    Cues from Facial Expressions for Emotional Interfaces

    Tews, T.-K., Oehl, M., Siebert, F., Faasch, H. & Höger, R., 20.06.2011, Human Centred Automation: HFES Europe Chapter. De Waard, D., Gérard, N., Onnasch, L., Wiczorek, R. & Manzey, D. (eds.). Shaker Publishing, p. 111-122 12 p.

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

  5. Published

    Monitoring Educational Organizations’ Culture of Sustainable Consumption: Initiating and Evaluating Cultural Change in Schools and Universities

    Fischer, D., 01.01.2011, In: Journal of Social Science. 7, 1, p. 63-75 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Educating for Sustainable Consumption as a Response to the Global Water Crisis: An Investigation of an Embedded Learning Approach

    Fischer, D. & Freund, E. K., 2012, Climate Change and the Sustainable Management of Water Resources. Filho, W. L. (ed.). Berlin: Springer Verlag, p. 743-759 17 p. (Climate Change Management).

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

  7. Published

    Educational Organisations as »Cultures of Consumption«: Cultural Contexts of Consumer Learning in Schools

    Fischer, D., 2011, In: European Educational Research Journal. 10, 4, p. 595-610 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Ganzheitliche Schulansätze zur Bildung für nachhaltigen Konsum: Holistyczne programy edukacyjne o tematyce zwównowa´zona konsumpcja

    Fischer, D., 2011, Nachhaltiger Konsum? Die Entwicklung des Verbraucherverhaltens in Polen und Deutschland: Zrównoważona konsumpcja? Rozwój zachowań konsumentów w Polsce i Niemczech. Wachowiak, M., Kiełczewski, D. & Diefenbacher, H. (eds.). Heidelberg: Fest, p. 434-465 31 p. (Texte und Materialien, Reihe A; vol. 54).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  9. Published
  10. Published

    Nachhaltige Ernährungsbildung: Konturen eines Bildungskonzeptes für die Schule

    Fischer, D., 2008, Ernährungsbildung - Grundlagen und Praxismodelle. Herzogenrath: Shaker Verlag, p. 23–76 52 p. (Schriftenreihe Ökotrophologie der Fachhochschule Osnabrück; vol. 3).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch