Publications (FIS)

Establishing the regional sustainable developmental role of universities

From the multilevel-perspective (Mlp) and beyond

authored by: Verena Radinger-Peer, Gesa Pflitsch, Helga Kanning, Daniel Schiller
Abstract: This article establishes the multilevel perspective (MLP) as one of the main research approaches in transition research to study complex systemic change processes in socio-technical systems at different structural levels. The application of the MLP to the higher education system, especially to conceptualize the transition of universities towards a sustainable (regional) developmental role, is still in its infancy. Through using a descriptive narrative analysis of seminal articles, the results of the four-years cooperation within an expert working group, and own empirical findings, the present paper investigates the suitability of the MLP to study the transition of universities and university systems towards a sustainable developmental role in the regional context. Based on these investiga-tions, three further perspectives (which must be considered for establishing a more comprehensive understanding of the universities’ sustainable developmental role) are identified and conceptualized: (a) The target dimension of sustainable regional development, (b) the role of agency, and (c) the introduction of space and place to multiscalar regional transitions. Based on these perspectives, a future research agenda beyond the MLP is developed.
Organisation(s): Institute of Environmental Planning
External Organisation(s): University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU)
Philipps-Universität Marburg
University of Greifswald
Type: Article
Journal: Sustainability (Switzerland)
Volume: 13
ISSN: 2071-1050
Publication date: 22.06.2021
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Geography, Planning and Development, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, Environmental Science (miscellaneous), Energy Engineering and Power Technology, Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.3390/su13136987 (Access: Open)

BibTeX

@article{7c0c2b0dff8f436e8f009bcad982e97c,
title = "Establishing the regional sustainable developmental role of universities: From the multilevel-perspective (Mlp) and beyond",
abstract = "This article establishes the multilevel perspective (MLP) as one of the main research approaches in transition research to study complex systemic change processes in socio-technical systems at different structural levels. The application of the MLP to the higher education system, especially to conceptualize the transition of universities towards a sustainable (regional) developmental role, is still in its infancy. Through using a descriptive narrative analysis of seminal articles, the results of the four-years cooperation within an expert working group, and own empirical findings, the present paper investigates the suitability of the MLP to study the transition of universities and university systems towards a sustainable developmental role in the regional context. Based on these investiga-tions, three further perspectives (which must be considered for establishing a more comprehensive understanding of the universities{\textquoteright} sustainable developmental role) are identified and conceptualized: (a) The target dimension of sustainable regional development, (b) the role of agency, and (c) the introduction of space and place to multiscalar regional transitions. Based on these perspectives, a future research agenda beyond the MLP is developed.",
keywords = "Agency, Higher education, Multilevel perspective, Place and space, Regional sustainable development, Sustainable developmental role, Universities",
author = "Verena Radinger-Peer and Gesa Pflitsch and Helga Kanning and Daniel Schiller",
note = "Funding Information: Funding: This research was partially funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, grant number T761-G21.",
year = "2021",
month = jun,
day = "22",
doi = "10.3390/su13136987",
language = "English",
volume = "13",
journal = "Sustainability (Switzerland)",
issn = "2071-1050",
publisher = "MDPI AG",
number = "13",
}