Cooperation for sustainable urban transitions: What is the role for education and research in the Humanities and Social Sciences?

3rd edition. December 14th, 2023

Cities are becoming the central node of our societal life. Their fast development has had a growing impact on government policies that encourage urban regeneration projects (European Commission, 2019; European Commission, n.d.; European Committee of the Regions, 2019; Basque Government, 2020; Bylund et al., 2022). Urban transformation processes play a critical role in our attempt to deal with the grand societal challenges of our time. Concerns focus on the economic, social and environmental sustainability of urban transitions. The sustainability of urban transitions depends, on the other hand, on the capacity of a wide array of stakeholders to cooperate. Partnership speaks about the democratic nature of urban transformation processes. Moreover, experience shows that cooperation among a wider array of stakeholders is a critical ingredient of the sustainability of societal transformations. The New European Bauhaus project, for example, defines participation as one of the three key principles of the initiative and stresses that “the participatory approach involves civil society and people of all ages and in all their diversity.” (European Commission, 2020:6).

 

The university has a critical role to play to make cooperation sustainable in urban transitions. The rethinking of education in relation to policies that acknowledge learning opportunities geared toward a common or collective social responsibility, both locally and worldwide, has been suggested by organizations like UNESCO (2015). Furthermore, the university has been highlighted for its role in contributing to the development of its local environment in conjunction with local authorities, social agents, and civic representatives (GUNI 2017: 53). There is also a call for quality general education that is committed to the integration of different fields of interdisciplinary learning to make a contribution to their immediate sphere (GUNI 2019: 536- 538). Moreover, universities have been required, in a reflective manner that encourages responsible innovation, to design and test experimental models (Dabars & Dwyer, 2022: 120). It is about research and education with and for the city, based on a cross-disciplinary and problem based approach (Madinabeitia et al., forthcoming; Zuberogoitia et al., forthcoming).

Programme 2023

Thursday, December 14th - Workshop (open sessions)

• 9.00 - 09.15 - Presentation
• 9.15 - 10.45 - Case presentations: engaged education and research
  • Sub-topics: Sustainability, Urban transformation, Academic research, Cooperation
  • Speakers: Rafael Wittek/Neda Aramipour, John Andersen, Rick Delbridge and Aitor Zuberogoitia (Mondragon University)
• 10.45 - 11.15 - Coffee break
• 11.15 - 12.30 - Parallel discussion forums:
  • A. Sustainable urban transitions
    • Sub-topics: levels (macro/meso/micro), stakeholders, cities,...
    • Participants: Spark, Roskilde, + local stakeholders (Tecnalia, Bilbao Ekintza, Bilbao AS Fabrik… )
  • B. Cooperation and partnership
    • Sub-topics: institutional arrangements, resilience, cooperative entrepreneurship…
    • Participants: Scoop, SFPI, + local stakeholders (LANKI, MCC, KoopFabrika…)
• 12.30 - 14.00 - Lunch Break
• 14.00 - 15.30 - Plenary Session: The role of education and research in the SSH
  • Sub-topics: action-research, research-driven education, student-driven research, blended programs, phd-programs…
  • Participants: John Andersen/Martin Frandsen, Rafael Wittek/Neda Aramipour, Igor Calzada, Jerome Warren and Nagore Ipiña
• 15.30 - 16.00 - Coffee Break
• 16.00 - 16.45 - Closing speech by Susan Wright

Friday, December 15th - Work meetings (closed sessions for participating universities)

• 9.00 - 10.30: Plenary session I (Cardiff, Roskilde, Groningen, Aarhus, Mondragon & SFPI Chair)
• 10:30 - 11:00: Coffee Break
• 11:00 - 12:30: Plenary session II (Cardiff, Roskilde, Groningen, Aarhus, Mondragon & SFPI Chair)  

 

Participants 2023

SPEAKERS

• Igor Calzada (Cardiff University)
• Rick Delbridge (SPARK)
• Susan Wright (Aarhus University)
• Rafael Wittek (University of Groningen - Scoop)
• Neda Aramipour (University of Groningen - Scoop)
• John Andersen (Roskilde University)
• Martin Frandsen (Roskilde University)
• Jerome Warren (SFPI Chair)
• Oier Imaz (Mondragon University)
• Nagore Ipiña (Mondragon University)

Organizing Committee 2023

• Oier Imaz (Mondragon University).
• Txema Egaña (Mondragon University).
• Aitor Zuberogoitia (Mondragon University).

Scientific Board 2023

• Davydd Greenwood (Cornell University)
• Sonja Novkovic (St Mary's University)
• Monika Madinabeitia (Etxepare Institute)
• Iñaki Larrea (Mondragon University)
• Andoni Eizagirre (Mondragon University)