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. 2025
  2. E-pub ahead of print

    Weaving values, knowledge and context to care for human–nature relationships in protected areas

    Cebrián-Piqueras, M. A., van Riper, C. J., Andrade, R., Raymond, C. M., Goodson, D. J., Keller, R. & Plieninger, T., 23.06.2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: People and Nature. 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Alle für eine*n? Bündnisfälle im EUV und Nordatlantikvertrag

    Bartmann, E. & Jacobs, C., 19.06.2025, Junge Wissenschaft im Öffentlichen Recht e.V.

    Research output: other publicationsArticles in scientific forums or blogsResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Indigenous and Local Communities' initiatives have transformative potential to guide shifts toward sustainability in South America

    Jimenez-Aceituno, A., Burgos-Ayala, A., Cepeda-Rodriguez, E., Lam, D. P. M. & Martin-Lopez, B., 19.06.2025, In: Communications Earth & Environment. 6, 1, 9 p., 481.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Efficacy of a Web-Based Stress Management Intervention for Beginning Teachers on Reducing Stress and Mechanisms of Change: Randomized Controlled Trial

    Heckendorf, H. & Lehr, D., 16.06.2025, In: Journal of Medical Internet Research. 27, 28 p., e58475.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. E-pub ahead of print

    (Re-)learning time use and perception for sustainable development in schools – Qualitative results from a self-inquiry-based learning intervention

    Frank, P., Grauer, C. & Fischer, D., 12.06.2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Time & Society. 38 p., 0961463X251343830.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    European Yearbook of International Economic Law 2024

    Bäumler, J. (Editor), Binder, C. (Editor), Bungenberg, M. (Editor), Krajewski, M. (Editor), Rühl, G. (Editor), Tams, C. J. (Editor), Terhechte, J. (Editor) & Ziegler, A. R. (Editor), 10.06.2025, Cham: Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland. 448 p. (European Yearbook of International Economic Law; vol. 11)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  8. E-pub ahead of print

    Disabling barriers—Coping with accessibility of nature in Biosphere Reserves

    Winkler, K. J., Kosanic, A. & Martín-López, B., 02.06.2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: People and Nature. n/a, n/a, 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Human-wildlife conflict in Rwanda: Linking ecoregion, changing conservation status and the local communities’ perception

    Sun, P., Bariyanga, J. D. & Wronski, T., 01.06.2025, In: Global Ecology and Conservation. 59, 17 p., e03550.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Mapping the intersection of planetary boundaries and environmentally extended input-output analysis: A systematic literature review

    León, M. F. G., Bankert, A., Becerra, D. T. & Abson, D. J., 01.06.2025, In: Sustainable Production and Consumption. 56, p. 546-560 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  11. Published

    Beyond the Trail—Understanding Non-Native Plant Invasions in Mountain Ecosystems

    Barros, A., Fuentes Lillo, E., Aschero, V., Pauchard, A., Alvarez, M. A., Wedegärtner, R., Clavel, J., Müllerová, J., Pergl, J., Zong, S., Vítková, M., Klinerová, T., Cavieres, L. A., Larson, C., Rew, L. J., Seipel, T., Meffre, C., Arellano, T., Essl, F., Dullinger, S., Gwate, O., Clark, V. R., Achermann, M., Haider, S. & Lembrechts, J. J., 06.2025, In: Global Ecology and Biogeography. 34, 6, 14 p., e70060.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  12. 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 contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  13. Published

    Deregulating to No Avail: How the Omnibus Package Falls Short in Simplifying Key EU Green Deal Instruments

    Bertram, A., 06.2025, In: Intereconomics. 2025, 3, p. 170-175

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  14. Published

    Discussion on the validity of commonly used reliability indices in sports medicine and exercise science: a critical review with data simulations

    Warneke, K., Gronwald, T., Wallot, S., Magno, A., Hillebrecht, M. & Wirth, K., 06.2025, In: European Journal of Applied Physiology. 125, 6, p. 1511-1526 16 p., e0216065.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  15. Published

    Introduction to ‘Exploring the frontiers: unveiling new horizons in carbon efficient biomass utilization’

    Liu, Z. H., Li, B. Z., Yuan, J. S., Clark, J., Zeidler, V. Z., Laurens, L., Ragauskas, A. J., Coutinho, J. A. P. & Han, B., 06.2025, In: Green Chemistry . 27, 24, p. 6922-6924 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  16. 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 contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  17. Published

    Temporal changes in taxonomic and functional alpha and beta diversity across tree communities in subtropical Atlantic forests

    Freitag Kramer, J. M., Bordin, K. M., Bergamin, R. S., Klipel, J., Picolotto, R. C., Zanini, K. J., Zwiener, V. P. & Müller, S. C., 06.2025, In: Oikos. 2025, 6, 15 p., e10961.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  18. Published

    The Challenge of Introducing Sustainability-Oriented Innovation—An Ethnographic Study

    Śliwińska, I., Beńko, P., Breuer, H., Ciesielska, M., Ivanov, K., Kasz, J. & Matras-Postołek, K., 06.2025, In: Sustainable Development. 33, 3, p. 4191-4203 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  19. Published

    Welcome home! Introducing SocSES: a society for inclusive and impactful social-ecological research

    de Vos, A., Quinlan, A., Biggs, R., Bennett, E. M., Martín-López, B., Norström, A. V., Peterson, G. D., Schoon, M., Allen, C. R., Andersson, E., Baird, J., Berbés-Blázquez, M., Berkes, F., Calderon-Contreras, R., Carpenter, S. R., Castro, A. J., Cumming, G. S., Falardeau, M., Liebrecht Fick, W., Folke, C., Galang, E. I. N. E., Gelcich, S., Gordon, L. J., Grimm, N. B., Hamilton, J., Hodbod, J., Speranza, C. I., Koch, L., Kosanic, A., Lembi, R., Locatelli, B., Malmborg, K., Manyani, A., Mathisonslee, M., Ocampo-Melgar, A., Psiuk, K., Queiroz, C., Riechers, M., Schultz, L., Selomane, O., Sherren, K., Spierenburg, M., Trimble, M., Turkelboom, F. & Wallington, C., 06.2025, In: Ecology and Society. 30, 2, 32.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  20. 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/worksChapterpeer-review

  21. Published

    Empirically Informed, Idiographic Networks of Concordant and Discordant Motives: An Experience Sampling Study With Network Analysis in Non-Clinical Participants

    Lüdtke, T., Steiner, F., Berger, T. & Westermann, S., 28.05.2025, In: Clinical Psychology in Europe. 7, 2, 21 p., e12305.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

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