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. 2022
  2. Published

    Sustainable Statehood: Reflections on Critical (Pre-)Conditions, Requirements and Design Options

    Heinrichs, H., 02.08.2022, In: Sustainability. 14, 15, 14 p., 9461.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  3. Published

    Comparative effectiveness of three versions of a stepped care model for insomnia differing in the amount of therapist support in internet-delivered treatment: study protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial (GET Sleep)

    Spiegelhalder, K., Baumeister, H., Al-Kamaly, A., Bader, M., Bauereiss, N., Benz, F., Braun, L., Buntrock, C., Burkhardt, M., Cuijpers, P., Domschke, K., Dülsen, P., Franke, M., Frase, L., Heber, E., Helm, K., Jentsch, T., Johann, A., Küchler, A. M., Kuhn, M., Lehr, D., Maun, A., Morin, C. M., Moshagen, M., Richter, K., Schiel, J., Simon, L., Spille, L., Weeß, H. G., Riemann, D. & Ebert, D. D., 01.08.2022, In: BMJ Open. 12, 8, 11 p., e058212.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Environmental governance in globally telecoupled systems: Mapping the terrain towards an integrated research agenda

    Cotta, B., Coenen, J., Challies, E., Newig, J., Lenschow, A. & Schilling-Vacaflor, A., 01.08.2022, In: Earth System Governance. 13, 16 p., 100142.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  5. Published

    Environmental governance of a Belt and Road project in Montenegro – National agency and external influences

    Coenen, J., Newig, J. & Meyfroidt, P., 01.08.2022, In: Land Use Policy. 119, 14 p., 106136.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    How to estimate carabid biomass?—an evaluation of size-weight models for ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and perspectives for further improvement

    Weiss, F. & Linde, A., 01.08.2022, In: Journal of Insect Conservation. 26, 4, p. 537-548 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published
  8. Published

    International student mobility: Pacific Islander experiences of higher education in Australia

    Pearson, J., McNamara, K. & McMichael, C., 01.08.2022, In: Asia Pacific Viewpoint. 63, 2, p. 194-206 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Operationalising the leverage points perspective for empirical research

    Riechers, M., Fischer, J., Manlosa, A. O., Ortiz-Przychodzka, S. & Sala, J. E., 01.08.2022, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. 57, 101206.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    PragmatiKK: Target Group-specific Approach in a web-based Stress Prevention Platform for Micro and Small Companies

    Engels, M., Boß, L., Engels, J., Kuhlmann, R., Kuske, J., Lesener, L., Pavlista, V., Scheepers, L., Schmidt-Stiedenroth, K., Schwens, C., Wulf, I. C. & Dragano, N., 01.08.2022, In: Gesundheitswesen. 84, 08/09, p. 862-862 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference abstract in journalResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Centralized and decentral approaches to succeed the 100% energiewende in Germany in the European context – A model-based analysis of generation, network, and storage investments

    Kendziorski, M., Göke, L., Hirschhausen, C. V., Kemfert, C. & Zozmann, E., 08.2022, In: Energy Policy. 167, 9 p., 113039.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  12. Published

    The feeling thinking talking intervention with teachers advances young children's emotion knowledge

    Voltmer, K. & von Salisch, M., 08.2022, In: Social Development. 31, 3, p. 846- 861 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  13. Published

    Planetary Integrity

    Kotzé, L. J., Kim, R. E., Burdon, P., du Toit, L., Glass, L.-M., Kashwan, P., Liverman, D., Montesano, F. S., Rantala, S., Sénit, C.-A., Treyer, S. & Calzadilla, P. V., 31.07.2022, The Political Impact of the Sustainable Development Goals : Transforming Governance Through Global Goals?. Biermann, F., Hickmann, T. & Senit, C.-A. (eds.). Cambridge University Press, p. 140-171 32 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  14. Published

    Building urban resilience through sustainability‑oriented small‑ and medium‑sized enterprises

    Burch, S., DiBella, J., Wiek, A., Schaltegger, S., Stubbs, W., Farrelly, M., Ness, B. & McCormick, K., 28.07.2022, In: Urban Transformations. 4, 1, 7 p., 12.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  15. Published

    Repurposing chemical waste: Sustainable chemistry for circularity beyond artificial intelligence

    Zuin, V. G. & Kümmerer, K., 21.07.2022, In: Cell. 185, 15, p. 2655-2656 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  16. Published

    A Web-Based Stress Management Intervention for University Students in Indonesia (Rileks): Feasibility Study Using a Pretest-Posttest Design

    Juniar, D., Van Ballegooijen, W., Schulte, M., Van Schaik, A., Passchier, J., Heber, E., Lehr, D., Sadarjoen, S. S. & Riper, H., 19.07.2022, In: JMIR Formative Research. 6, 7, 15 p., e37278.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  17. Published

    Prosumer – zwischen Energiesuffizienz und Rebound-Effekten: Klimawirkungen sich verändernder Haushaltsverbrauchmuster in Deutschland

    Ouanes, N., Kegel, J., Wiesenthal, J., Lenk, C., Bluhm, H., Weiß, J. & Torliene, L., 18.07.2022, In: Zeitschrift fur Technikfolgenabschatzung in Theorie und Praxis / Journal for Technology Assessment in Theory and Practice. 31, 2, p. 18-24 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  18. Published

    Negotiating Sustainability Transitions: Why Does It Matter? What Are the Challenges? How to Proceed?

    Majer, J. M. & Troetschel, R., 15.07.2022, In: Sustainability. 14, 14, 5 p., 8691.

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

  19. Published
  20. Published

    Interpersonal Physiological Synchrony Predicts Group Cohesion

    Tomashin, A., Gordon, I. & Wallot, S., 12.07.2022, In: Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 16, 12 p., 903407.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  21. Published

    Mythos: Unternehmen sind angesichts der steigenden Anforderungen aus Gesellschaft und Politik überfordert und müssen sich entscheiden: Circular Economy oder menschenrechtliche Sorgfaltspflichten?

    Moser, C. & Buhr, M., 12.07.2022, Mythen der Circular Economy. Böckel, A., Quaing, J., Weissbrod, I. & Böhm, J. (eds.). Dresden: Dresden University of Technology, p. 109 - 114 16 p.

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