The university's responsibility includes recognising the impact of its actions on the environment, society and the economy and incorporating the topic of sustainable development into its teaching.

Carl von Ossietzky University is strongly committed to an interdisciplinary approach to sustainability issues and to the transfer of knowledge between business and science. Sustainability topics are not only taught in an up-to-date and well-founded manner in relevant Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes such as the Master's degree programme "Sustainability Economics and Management", but also in teacher training and medical studies as well as in continuing education programmes.

The University of Oldenburg also focuses on environmental and sustainability issues in its teaching outside of the sustainability degree programmes mentioned above. In teacher training, it focuses on the integration of environmental and sustainability aspects in the training and further education of future teachers. As one of 17 Sustainable Development Goals pursued worldwide, teaching is dedicated to health care. Since 2012, the University of Oldenburg has offered a new internationally oriented degree programme in human medicine.