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Transferring Sustainability Solutions across Contexts through City–University Partnerships

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  • Lauren Withycombe Keeler

    (School for the Future of Innovation in Society, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
    Faculty of Sustainability, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, D-21335 Lüneburg, Germany)

  • Fletcher D. Beaudoin

    (Institute for Sustainable Solutions, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201, USA)

  • Amy M. Lerner

    (Laboratorio Nacional de Ciencias de la Sostenibilidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, CDMX, México)

  • Beatrice John

    (Faculty of Sustainability, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, D-21335 Lüneburg, Germany)

  • Richard Beecroft

    (Faculty of Sustainability, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, D-21335 Lüneburg, Germany
    Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany)

  • Kaidi Tamm

    (Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany)

  • Arnim Wiek

    (Faculty of Sustainability, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, D-21335 Lüneburg, Germany
    School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA)

  • Daniel J. Lang

    (Faculty of Sustainability, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, D-21335 Lüneburg, Germany)

Abstract

The urgency of climate change and other sustainability challenges makes transferring and scaling solutions between cities a necessity. However, solutions are deeply contextual. To accelerate solution efforts, there is a need to understand how context shapes the development of solutions. Universities are well positioned to work with cities on transferring solutions from and to other cities. This paper analyses five case studies of city–university partnerships in three countries on transferring solutions. Our analysis suggests that understanding the interest, the action on sustainability, and the individual and collective sustainability competences on the part of the city administration and the university can help facilitate the transfer of sustainability solutions across contexts. We conclude that the nature of the city–university partnership is essential to solution transfer and that new and existing networks can be used to accelerate progress on the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Lauren Withycombe Keeler & Fletcher D. Beaudoin & Amy M. Lerner & Beatrice John & Richard Beecroft & Kaidi Tamm & Arnim Wiek & Daniel J. Lang, 2018. "Transferring Sustainability Solutions across Contexts through City–University Partnerships," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-17, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:9:p:2966-:d:164864
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Gregory Trencher & Masaru Yarime & Kes B. McCormick & Christopher N. H. Doll & Steven B. Kraines, 2014. "Beyond the third mission: Exploring the emerging university function of co-creation for sustainability," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 41(2), pages 151-179.
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    1. Göran Finnveden & Julie Newman & Leendert A. Verhoef, 2019. "Sustainable Development and Higher Education: Acting with a Purpose," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-4, July.
    2. Richard Beecroft, 2018. "Embedding Higher Education into a Real-World Lab: A Process-Oriented Analysis of Six Transdisciplinary Project Courses," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-20, October.
    3. Kristine Kern & Janne Irmisch & Colette Odermatt & Wolfgang Haupt & Ingrid Kissling-Näf, 2021. "Cultural Heritage, Sustainable Development, and Climate Policy: Comparing the UNESCO World Heritage Cities of Potsdam and Bern," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-19, August.
    4. Haupt, Wolfgang & Eckersley, Peter & Kern, Kristine, 2021. "Transfer und Skalierung von lokaler Klimapolitik: Konzeptionelle Ansätze, Voraussetzungen und Potenziale," IRS Dialog 1/2021, Leibniz Institute for Research on Society and Space (IRS).
    5. Kern, Kristine & Irmisch, Janne & Odermatt, Colette & Haupt, Wolfgang & Kissling-Näf, Ingrid, 2021. "Cultural Heritage, Sustainable Development, and Climate Policy: Comparing the UNESCO World Heritage Cities of Potsdam and Bern," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 13(16).

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