The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the Paris Climate Accord (Goal 13 of the SDGs) require systemic understanding of society-nature interactions, analysis of socioeconomic and political drivers of unsustainable resource use, and participatory approaches in formulating societal response options.

Social Ecology is an inter- and transdisciplinary research field focused on society-nature interaction in the context of global change and sustainable development. Socioecological concepts and methods enable cooperation across the great divides between natural and social sciences as well as the humanities, hence providing young graduates ideal conditions in a challenging research field. 

The Doctoral School Social Ecology is designed to further develop socioecological approaches through integration with important fields of sustainability studies, such as transport research, limnology, energy and resource economics, regional development, soil science, plant ecology and animal nutrition.