Leuphana School of Sustainability

As Germany's first and only faculty for sustainability, founded in 2010, our School of Sustainability is distinguished by its many years of experience in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary work on sustainability transformation in research, study and practice. In the first 15 years of environmental and sustainability sciences at Leuphana, almost €60 million in third-party funding was raised, 2,760 publications were published and 260 doctoral students were trained. In this way, we aim to contribute to sustainable development in Lower Saxony, Germany, Europe and worldwide.

In 2015, as part of the UN Transformation Agenda 2030, the international community set 17 the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), for socially, economically and ecologically sustainable development. We are working in particular on the following goals: Quality education, Affordable and clean energy, Clean water and sanitation, Sustainable cities and communities, Industry and infrastructure, Responsible consumption and production, Climate action, Life on land, Peace, justice and strong institutions.

Our research is based on a variety of conceptual, theoretical and methodological approaches, which are organised into seven institutes with specific thematic focuses. We conduct research in the laboratory, in the heathland, in grasslands, in the classroom, with city administrations, with farmers, with non-governmental organisations, with companies, with students in the lecture hall and, of course, at our desks.

In our environmental and sustainability science study programmes, we focus on disciplinary foundations and the development of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary transformation skills.  

Furthermore, we believe that exchange between science and practice is important. We work together with regional and national political actors, e.g. ministries, as well as international organisations, e.g. UNEP, UNESCO, EU. We are part of national and international committees, e.g. corporate sustainability advisory boards and the World Biodiversity Council (IPBES). We give lectures for different target groups and cooperate with (civil) society actors.