Leuphana celebrates 15 years of the School of Sustainability
Pioneering work as an integral part of international sustainability research
2025-09-26 Lüneburg, September 26, 2025. Fifteen years ago, Leuphana University Lüneburg set a precedent: with the founding of the School of Sustainability, the first and to date only faculty for sustainability sciences in the German-speaking world was created. What was visionary at the time is now more relevant than ever—and will be celebrated in the upcoming winter semester.
The results of recent years are impressive: nearly €60 million in third-party funding, 2,760 publications, and the education of more than 2,500 students and 260 doctoral candidates make the faculty a driving force for the sustainable transformation of science and society.
“Sustainability research is no longer a niche topic – it has become a key science of the 21st century,” says Dean Prof. Dr. Harald Heinrichs. “The university began this journey in the mid-1990s with environmental sciences and has consistently pursued it ever since.”
Instead of just looking back at its anniversary, the faculty is deliberately looking ahead. Under the motto “Future – Sustainability – Science,” numerous events will take place during the anniversary semester, providing insights into the faculty's work and inviting discussion about the future of sustainability.