̶ ̶ 17/05/2017 DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCES CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TRANSITION PATHWAYS TO MAKE OUR UNIVERSITY MORE TOWARDS MORE INTERNATIONAL SUSTAINABLE, AN IMPORTANT GOAL SUSTAINABLE UNIVERSITIES POLICY CONTEXT IS TO… Katrien Van Poeck | Leif Östman | 14 th February 2017 2 3 INTERNATIONAL POLICY CONTEXT INTERNATIONAL POLICY CONTEXT � 1994: Copernicus University Charter for Sustainable Development : 2016: UN Agenda 2030: Sustainable Development Goals call on universities ‘to play a leading role in developing a multidisciplinary TRANSITION UGENT: and ethically-oriented form of education in order to devise solutions for the problems linked to sustainable development’ � UN Decade of ESD (2005-2014) & Global Action Programme (GAP) A PARTICIPATORY APPROACH FOR on ESD: crucial role of universities in reorienting education toward sustainability CREATING A MORE SUSTAINABLE Whole-institution approaches to ESD in higher education institutions Integrating ESD into faculty training to enhance capacity in teaching sustainability issues, conducting and supervising solution-oriented UNIVERSITY interdisciplinary research, and informing policy-making on ESD and sustainable development 4 5 6 TRANSITION UGENT WHOLE INSTITUTION APPROACH METHOD: TRANSITION MANAGEMENT � Active since 2012 � Start with frontrunners � Management � Initiator: UGent’s environmental coordinator � Long-term process � Open innovation network � Campus operations � In the shadow of ‘real’ politics � 75 � +200 participants: staff, students, experts, university management,… � Creating space for innovation: � Education � Knowledge creators, policy makers, dreamers, doers, translators to experiments � Research practice and builders from practice come together to formulate ideas for a � Learning-by-doing and doing-by- sustainable university � Policymaking learning � Aim: developing a long-term vision for embedding sustainability in UGent 7 8 9 1
17/05/2017 TRANSITION ARENAS RESEARCH EDUCATION 2020 2020 Focus on high-level UGent as a learning System Analysis System Analysis research for a socially just and society for a social just and Compartmentalisation / no integration / mono-disciplinary Compartmentalisation ecologically sustainable future ecological sustainable future No student-led education (lecturers decide) Output-driven (international peer-reviewed publications) Societal relevance is (often) lacking Focus on socio-ecological challenges New content: focus on socio-ecological challenges Matthew-effect and ‘lock ins’ Education is not appreciated during evaluation Societal relevance is a crucial criterion New organisation: inter- & transdisciplinary approach Often no involvement of students Dominance of ‘outdated’ lectures New links between education, research and services to society Multi-, inter- & transdisciplinary research = ‘normal’ Societal relevance is (often) lacking Research is done in a sustainable way Economic growth as main objective The city of Ghent is seldom a living lab Experiment with new education practices Reform of formal evaluation criteria Inter- and transdisciplinary; social media; societal relevance Especially the UGent Special Research Fund (BOF) (community service learning); etc. Looking for ‘gaps’ and opportunities Embedding sustainability in education • Screening of research activities at UGent programmes • Multidisciplinary platforms • Screening content and competencies Learn from current and new experiences Improving UGent-communication on socio-ecological challenges • Basics of SD in each program (obligatory) Search for good practices, summer schools,… E.g. discussions towards UGent stances on sustainability controversies • University-wide course (optional) New discourses in debates • Networking • Visions Improved evaluation system E.g. personal objectives in career path, foster vision developments within several departments Incentives for Sustainability Research More support for inter- and transdisciplinary research on socio-ecological issues (e.g. proposal preparation fund) 10 UP-SCALING: FROM MARGIN TO MAINSTREAM? 13 14 15 SUSTAINABILITY VISION UGENT SOME POLICY INITIATIVES Ghent University wants to be a leading knowledge institute for a future that � Ambitious vision text: e.g.: “Integrating sustainable development is ecologically, socially and economically sustainable within a local and systematically and substantively in the entire range of education” global context � Sustainability coordinator + 6 employed students (20% FTE) in Green EXAMPLES: (Ghent University Board, Office: Facilitating actions and projects initiated by staff and students December 2013) � New policies: sustainable meals in the restaurants, green guide for MANAGEMENT AND foreign students, travel policy, waste policy, parking policy, fossil To this end: divestment, new courses… � UGent creates a substantial foundation for sustainable development OPERATIONS � UGent integrates sustainability in its education, research and services � Sustainability report: monitoring � UGent implements sustainability in its general management and organisation 16 17 18 2
17/05/2017 COMMUTER TRAFFIC ENERGY – WATER – … � Ambitious corporate transport plan EXAMPLES: � More than 50% of UGent staff uses sustainable transport methods RESEARCH 19 20 21 WICKED SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES DEMAND TRANSDISCIPLINARY PLATFORM TRANSDISCIPLINARY PLATFORM OTHER APPROACH TO RESEARCH “SUSTAINABLE CITIES” “SUSTAINABLE CITIES” � Not funded experiment established at the end of 2015 � 20 UGent academics (different disciplines) + 20 policymakers Ghent municipality � Collaboration & dialogue: knowledge platform on unstructured sustainability issues � Interdisciplinary workshops and discussions � City of Ghent as a ‘living lab’ for researchers � Policymakers and other urban stakeholders can benefit from using the knowledge and expertise (‘brain power’) available within the university community Initial focus on 2 topics put forward by the policymakers: housing & food � 22 23 24 SOME INITIATIVES � Policy plan for the social valorisation of research � Science Shop: socially relevant thesis subjects – Non-profit organisations: free/affordable scientific research, carried out by students – Connecting suitable supervisors, master's students and organisations to determine the scope and follow-up research � Community Service Learning (CSL): social engagement in academic EXAMPLES: EXAMPLES: education – Students = actors of social change SERVICES TO SOCIETY EDUCATION – Within their curriculum: concrete contribution to communities or social initiatives – Addressing real needs within society – Encouraged to critically consider their current and future role in society 25 26 27 3
17/05/2017 EDUCATION INNOVATION PROJECT MONITORING ESD = A POSSIBILITY FOR EVERY STUDENT � Funded by UGent Dept. of Educational Policy (€ 45,000) � University-wide elective course “Sustainability thinking” � 20% project coordinator (1 day/week), 2014-2016 � Final programme evaluations: – Two introductory lessons: basics sustainability thinking, sustainability � Pilot cases: business administration, electromechanical engineering 3 questions regarding Science � Workshops: further embedding sustainability in the curriculum: sustainability – Studium Generale: public lectures series: 4 evenings with 1 or 2 – self-evaluation � Student survey keynotes and some reflections – detecting gaps – Two concluding lessons: reflections and group discussions, Transition � All UGent Master programmes – defining needs Thinking – discipline-specific vision texts – strategies and action plans 28 29 30 INTERNATIONAL THEMATIC NETWORK � “Sustainability Education – Teaching and learning in the face of wicked socio-ecological problems” (SEDwise) – UGent professors in different fields + international ESD-researchers DRAFT PRIORITY ACTION CHARTER – Conceptualise (theoretically) and develop (experimentally) adequate forms of teaching and learning in the face of sustainability issues INSPIRING EXAMPLES? FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE UNIVERSITY – Fruitful interactions between theory and practice – Action research: UGent = ‘living lab’ – ESD-researchers = ‘critical friends’ – Pilot experiments, seminars, summer schools,… TAKE-HOME IDEAS … TAKE-HOME IDEAS … 31 32 33 ARCHITECTURE & URBAN PLANNING: JOKER ARCHITECTURE & URBAN PLANNING: JOKER WHOLE INSTITUTION WEEK WEEK APPROACH TO ESD � Recipe project: � ‘Real’ challenges, e.g. impact car traffic – Full week (before the Easter break) � Experimenting with re-designing university neighbourhood – All regular classes are suspended – mandatory but not for credit LINKING CAMPUS OPERATIONS, – Students from all 5 years work together (450 students – 50 staff) � Theme 2016: “University and the city” (spatial impact UGent) project project RESEARCH AND SERVICES TO STUDENTS’ LEARNING 34 35 36 4
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