Transdisciplinary Sustainability Science at Higher  Education Institutions: Science Policy Tools for  Incremental Institutional Change

Dedeurwaerdere, Tom

doi:10.3390/su5093783

Cited by 54 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 48 publications

(63 reference statements)

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“…As a way forward, Dedeurwaerdere [88] proposes that evidence of stakeholder engagement during the design phase be explicitly incorporated into the selection criteria for competitive funding calls. This strategy could be strengthened through government "seed funding".…”

Section: Increasing the Co-creative Potential Of The University: Potementioning

confidence: 99%

Implementing Sustainability Co-Creation between Universities and Society: A Typology-Based Understanding

et al. 2017

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Universities are under mounting pressure to partner with societal stakeholders and organizations to collaboratively create and implement sustainability-advancing knowledge, tools, and societal transformations. Simultaneously, an increasing number of societal organizations are reaching out to partner with universities to achieve organizational objectives and increase the effectiveness of strategies to further societal sustainability. Using a conceptual framework of "sustainability co-creation", this study empirically examines the historical and ongoing experiences of five organizations in Japan that actively partner with universities to enhance sustainability activities and strategies to transform society. We examine motivations for partnering with universities, innovative models of practice, factors hampering the co-creative potential of the university, and desired changes to overcome these. Our empirical study leads to the proposal of a typology that might assist in categorizing and understanding key attributes of differing types of sustainability co-creation. We build our typology from two perspectives: First, in terms of the primary objective of the co-creation (ranging from knowledge production to the transformation of society), and second, in terms of the approach taken (ranging from either socially or technologically-centered). We then reflect on the organizations' experiences to offer several strategies that could increase the effectiveness of the university when partnering with stakeholders in sustainability co-creation. We also highlight several factors effecting the university's capacity to move beyond knowledge production towards implementation measures to transform society with external stakeholders.

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Section: Increasing the Co-creative Potential Of The University: Potementioning

confidence: 99%

Implementing Sustainability Co-Creation between Universities and Society: A Typology-Based Understanding

et al. 2017

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“…The integration of SD in HEIs requires a focus on the elements of the HEI system, on making SD part of the higher education culture, and on ensuring the institutionalization of SD in HEIs [5,8,12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainability Reporting in Higher Education: Interconnecting the Reporting Process and Organisational Change Management for Sustainability

2015

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Abstract:Although there has been a considerable increase in the publication of sustainability reports in the corporate world in the last decade, sustainability reporting in higher education institutions is still in its early stages. This study's aim was to explore the relationship between sustainability reporting and organizational change management for sustainability in higher education. A survey was sent to higher education institutions worldwide that have published sustainability reports in the last ten years. The survey was answered by 23 institutions out of a total of 64. The findings showed that sustainability reporting has been predominantly driven by internal motivations, and that the sustainability reporting process leads to incremental changes, such as an increase in awareness of sustainability and improvements in communication with internal stakeholders. Some factors impeding change are the absence of an external stakeholder engagement process, the lack of inclusion of material impacts in reports, and the lack of institutionalization of sustainability reporting in the higher education system. The paper proposes that higher education institutions need to consider sustainability reporting as a dynamic tool to plan sustainability changes, and not just as a communication activity. OPEN ACCESSSustainability 2015, 7 8882

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“…Effective measures for managing risks and promoting sustainability call for trans-disciplinary, multi-partnership, multi-dimensional research (Dedeurwaerdere 2013 ; Earth System Governance Project (ESGP) 2012 ). Spearheaded by the International Council for Science (ICSU) and others, the newly launched Future Earth sustainability research initiative is expected to play a key role in providing a reinforced, overarching framework for sustainability science (Yasunari 2013 ).…”

Section: Environmental Risks Their Characteristics and Sustainabilimentioning

confidence: 99%

Managing Environmental Risks and Promoting Sustainability, Scientific Advancement, and Leadership Development

Kobayashi

Yoshiura

Sato

et al. 2014

Sustainable Living With Environmental Risks

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As entrenched population growth and industrialization continue to raise demand for natural resources and their exploitation, there is increasing concern over the detrimental impacts on the global environment and humanity. Economic growth was expected to save people from poverty, but conventional economic growth models simply prompted intensive resource use and undermined the basis for livelihoods that are sustainable over the long term. Whilst research and policy measures have articulated environmental risks and key factors of sustainability, compartmentalized approaches have failed to forge a scientifi c foundation for averting risks and promoting sustainability. Countermeasures to address environmental risks often involve trade-offs weighed against other socio-economic factors. A holistic viewpoint and trans-disciplinary science are therefore needed to foster appropriate decision making and implementation that can ensure optimal risk management and promotion of sustainability. The Leadership Programme in Sustainable Living with Environmental Risk (the SLER programme) spearheaded by Yokohama National University from 2009 to 2014, is one of the programs playing an instrumental role in addressing this need. It provides a platform for strengthening the expertise and skills graduate school students need to become environmental leaders. Moreover, the process of implementing the SLER programme has revealed both the potential and the challenges inherent in developing future environmental leaders to effectively manage environmental risk and promote sustainability.

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Transdisciplinary Sustainability Science at Higher Education Institutions: Science Policy Tools for Incremental Institutional Change

Cited by 54 publications

References 48 publications

Implementing Sustainability Co-Creation between Universities and Society: A Typology-Based Understanding

Implementing Sustainability Co-Creation between Universities and Society: A Typology-Based Understanding

Sustainability Reporting in Higher Education: Interconnecting the Reporting Process and Organisational Change Management for Sustainability

Managing Environmental Risks and Promoting Sustainability, Scientific Advancement, and Leadership Development

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