Explorations on the University's role in society for sustainable development through a systems transition approach. Case-study of the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) |
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| Authors: | Didac Ferrer-Balas Heloise Buckland Mireia de Mingo |
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| Institution: | 1. Center for Sustainability (CITIES), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), C/Jordi Girona, 31, 08034 Barcelona, Spain;2. Barcelona Regional Centre of Expertise in Education for Sustainable Development (RCE-Barcelona), C/Jordi Girona, 31, 08034 Barcelona, Spain;1. Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech, School of Civil Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, c/ Jordi Girona 1-3, Ed, C2, 08034 Barcelona, Spain;2. Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya- BarcelonaTech, Engineering Sciences and Global Development (ESc&GD), Barcelona, Spain;3. Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya- BarcelonaTech, Research Institute of Sustainability Science and Technology, c/ Jordi Girona 31, Ed. TG – S1, 08034, Barcelona, Spain;4. Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya- BarcelonaTech, School of industrial Engineering, Department of Heat Engines, Avda. Diagonal 647, Ed. H, 08028, Barcelona, Spain;5. Universitat Politècnica de València, INGENIO (CSIC-UPV), Ed. 5J, Camino Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain;6. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, ETSI Telecomunicación, Av. Complutense, 30, 28040, Madrid, Spain;7. Universitá degli Studi di Trento, UNESCO Chair in Engineering for Human and Sustainable Development – DICAM, via Mesiano, 77, 38123, Trento, Italy;8. Loughborough University, Loughborough Design School, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK;1. Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos – UNISINOS University, Unisinos Avenue, 950, Bloco 5A, São. Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, 93022-000, Brazil;2. School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK;3. School of Geo and Spatial Science, North-West University Potchefstroom Campus, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa;4. Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Campus Universitário Reitor João David Ferreira Lima, Mail Box 476, Trindade, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, 88040970, Brazil;1. Systems Ecology & Resource Management Lab, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Avenue Franklin Roosevelt 50, 1050 Brussels, Belgium;2. Centre for Sustainable Development, University of Ghent, Poel 16, 9000 Gent, Belgium;3. Dalhousie University, Life Sciences Centre, Halifax, Canada;1. Department of Science and Technology, Universidade Aberta, Campus do Taguspark, Edifício Inovação I, 2740-122 Porto Salvo, Oeiras, Portugal;2. Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, 3001-455 Coimbra, Portugal;3. CENSE – Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research, Department of Science and Environmental Engineering, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus da Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal;4. School of Science and the Environment, Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester, M15GDU, United Kingdom |
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| Abstract: | Focusing on the sustainability challenge, a growing number of Universities are redefining their core strategies in order to adapt to the real social needs and expectations of their stakeholders. Beyond integrating sustainability into the University's internal activities (curriculum, research, operations, etc.), the challenge seems to be integrating the University with the sustainable development paths of society. For the last 10 years the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) has tackled this challenge through an overarching strategic plan. The latest strategy, UPC Sustainable Plan 2015 has adopted a different focus, which was designed through a participatory approach, involving many internal and external stakeholders.This work aims to use a conceptual framework based on systems transitions to assess the systems change potential of a University strategy, in this case, the sustainability strategy of UPC. The main objectives of this paper are: to present the sustainability strategy participatory design process and its outcomes at UPC; to analyse the strategy change potential through a new transition/systems renewal method that is proposed; and to compare it with the UPCs previous environmental strategy; The work concludes that the systems transition potential is currently higher with the new strategy and discusses the elements that explain this finding. |
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