Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Establishing sustainability science in higher education institutions: towards an integration of academic development, institutionalization, and stakeholder collaborations

  • Special Feature: Original Article
  • Sustainability science: bridging the gap between science and society
  • Published:
Sustainability Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The field of sustainability science aims to understand the complex and dynamic interactions between natural and human systems in order to transform and develop these in a sustainable manner. As sustainability problems cut across diverse academic disciplines, ranging from the natural sciences to the social sciences and humanities, interdisciplinarity has become a central idea to the realm of sustainability science. Yet, for addressing complicated, real-world sustainability problems, interdisciplinarity per se does not suffice. Active collaboration with various stakeholders throughout society—transdisciplinarity—must form another critical component of sustainability science. In addition to implementing interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity in practice, higher education institutions also need to deal with the challenges of institutionalization. In this article, drawing on the experiences of selected higher education academic programs on sustainability, we discuss academic, institutional, and societal challenges in sustainability science and explore the potential of uniting education, research and societal contributions to form a systematic and integrated response to the sustainability crisis.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alvial-Palavicino C, Yarime M (2011) Sharing and shaping perceptions: dialogues with expertise in the deployment of renewable energy technologies. In: Cotton M, Motta BH (eds) Engaging with environmental justice: governance, education and citizenship. Inter-Disciplinary Press, Oxford, pp 189–200

    Google Scholar 

  • Association of University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (2011) Talloires declaration. Association of University Leaders for a Sustainable Future, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Baba Y, Yarime M, Shichijo N (2010) Sources of success in advanced materials innovation: the role of ‘core researchers’ in university–industry collaboration in Japan. Int J Innov Manag 14(2):201–219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ben-David J (1971) The scientist’s role in society: a comparative study. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs

    Google Scholar 

  • Blackstock KL, Carter CE (2007) Operationalising sustainability science for a sustainability directive? Reflecting on three pilot projects. Geogr J 173(4):343–357

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bok D (2003) Universities in the marketplace: the commercialization of higher education. Princeton University Press, Princeton

    Google Scholar 

  • Branscomb LM, Kodama F, Florida R (eds) (1999) Industrializing knowledge: university–industry linkages in Japan and the United States. MIT Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Brundiers K, Wiek A (2011) Educating students in real-world sustainability research: vision and implementation. Innov High Educ 36(2):107–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brundiers K, Wiek A, Redman CL (2010) Real-world learning opportunities in sustainability: from classroom into the real world. Int J Sustain High Educ 11(4):308–324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark WC (2007) Sustainability science: a room of its own. Proc Natl Acad Sci 104(6):1737–1738

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clark WC, Dickson NM (2003) Sustainability science: the emerging research program. Proc Natl Acad Sci 100(14):8059–8061

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Conference of European Rectors (1994) COPERNICUS—the university charter for sustainable development. Conference of European Rectors (CRE), Geneva, Switzerland

    Google Scholar 

  • Crow M (2010) Organizing teaching and research to address the grand challenges of sustainable development. Bioscience 60(7):488–489

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dasgupta P, David PA (1994) Toward a new economics of science. Res Policy 23:487–521

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • David PA (2003) The economic logic of ‘open science’ and the balance between private property rights and the public domain in scientific data and information: a primer. In: Esanu JM, Uhlir PF (eds) The role of scientific and technical data and information in the public domain: proceeding of a symposium. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Editorial (2001) Is the university-industrial complex out of control? Nature 409(6817):119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Etzkowitz H (2002) MIT and the rise of entrepreneurial science. Routledge, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Etzkowitz H, Webster A (1995) Science as intellectual property. In: Jasanoff S, Markle GE, Petersen JC, Pinch T (eds) Handbook of science and technology studies. Sage, Thousand Oaks, pp 480–505

    Google Scholar 

  • Etzkowitz H, Webster A, Healey P (eds) (1998) Capitalizing knowledge: new intersections of industry and academia. State University of New York, Albany

    Google Scholar 

  • Fadeeva Z, Mochizuki Y (2010) Higher education for today and tomorrow: university appraisal for diversity, innovation and change towards sustainable development. Sustain Sci 5:249–256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fadeeva Z, Galkute L, Lotz-Sisitka H, Abdul Razak D, Chacón M, Yarime M, Mohamedbhai G (2011) University appraisal for diversity, innovation and change towards sustainable development? Can it be done? In: Global University Network for Innovation (GUNI) (ed) Higher education in the world 4: higher education committed to sustainability—from understanding to action. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, pp 308–313

    Google Scholar 

  • Florida R (1999) The role of the university: leveraging talent, not technology. Issues Sci Technol 15(4) (online)

  • Frantzeskaki N, de Haan H (2009) Transitions: two steps from theory to policy. Futures 41(9):593–606

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibb A, Haskins G, Robertson I (2009) Leading entrepreneurial university: meeting the entrepreneurial development needs of higher education institutions. National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE), United Kingdom

    Google Scholar 

  • Glasser H, Calder W, Fadeeva Z (2005) Definition: research in higher education for sustainability. Document prepared for the Halifax Consultation, Halifax, NS

  • Greenberg D, Shroder M (2004) The digest of social experiments, 3rd edn. The Urban Institute Press, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Heller MA, Eisenberg RS (1998) Can patents deter innovation? The anticommons in biomedical research. Science 280:698–701

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jerneck A, Olsson L, Ness B, Anderberg S, Baier M, Clark E, Hickler T, Hornborg A, Kronsell A, Lo¨vbrand E, Persson J (2011) Structuring sustainability science. Sustain Sci 6:69–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Kajikawa Y, Ohno J, Takeda Y, Matsushima K, Komiyama H (2007) Creating an academic landscape of sustainability science: an analysis of the citation network. Sustain Sci 2:221–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kates RW, Clark WC, Corell R, Hall JM, Jaeger CC, Lowe I, McCarthy JJ, Schellnhuber HJ, Bolin B, Dickson NM, Faucheux S, Gallopin GC, Grubler A, Huntley B, Jager J, Jodha NS, Kasperson RE, Mabogunje A, Matson P, Mooney H, Moore B, O'Riordan T, Svedin U (2001) Sustainability science. Science 292(5517):641–642

    Google Scholar 

  • Komiyama H, Takeuchi K (2006) Sustainability science: building a new discipline. Sustain Sci 1(1):1–6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Komiyama H, Takeuchi K, Shiroyama H, Mino T (eds) (2011) Sustainability science: a multidisciplinary approach. United Nations University Press, Tokyo

    Google Scholar 

  • Lang DJ, Wiek A, Bergmann M, Stauffacher M, Martens P, Moll P, Swilling M, Thomas C (2012) Transdisciplinary research in sustainability science—practice, principles and challenges. Sustain Sci 7(Suppl). doi:10.1007/s11625-011-0149-x

  • Loorbach D, Frantzeskaki N, Thissen WH (2011) A transition research perspective on governance for sustainability. In: Jaeger CC, Tàbara JD, Jaeger J (eds) European research on sustainable development. Transformative science approaches for sustainability, vol 1. Springer, Berlin, pp 73–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Maurer SM (2006) Inside the anticommons: academic scientists’ struggle to build a commercially self-supporting human mutations database, 1999–2001. Res Policy 35:839–853

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merton RK (1973) The sociology of science: theoretical and empirical investigations. University of Chicago Press, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer JW, Ramirez FO, Schofer E, Drori GS (2002) Science in the modern world polity: institutionalization and globalization, revised edition. Stanford University Press, Stanford

  • Mowery DC, Nelson RR, Sampat BN, Ziedonis AA (2004) Ivory tower and industrial innovation: university–industry technology transfer before and after the Bayh-Dole act in the United States. Stanford University Press, Stanford

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson RR (2004) The market economy, and the scientific commons. Res Policy 33:455–471

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Onuki M, Mino T (2009) Sustainability education and a new master’s degree, the master of sustainability science: the graduate program in sustainability science (GPSS) at the University of Tokyo. Sustain Sci 4:55–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orecchini F, Valitutti V, Vitali G (2012) Industry and academia for a transition towards sustainability: advancing sustainability science through university-business collaborations. Sustain Sci 7(Suppl). doi:10.1007/s11625-011-0151-3

  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (1999) The response of higher education institutions to regional needs. OECD Publishing, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2007) Higher education and regions: globally competitive, locally engaged. OECD Publishing, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Owen-Smith J, Powell WW (2004) Knowledge networks as channels and conduits: the effects of spillovers in the Boston biotechnology community. Organ Sci 15(1):5–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Owen-Smith J, Riccaboni M, Pammolli F, Powell WW (2002) A comparison of US and European university–industry relations in the life sciences. Manag Sci 48(1):24–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Philpott K, Dooley L, O’Reilly C, Lupton G (2011) The entrepreneurial university: examining the underlying academic tensions. Technovation 31(4):161–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Redner H (1987) The institutionalization of science: a critical synthesis. Soc Epistemol 1(1):37–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg N (1998) Chemical engineering as a general purpose technology. In: Helpman E (ed) General purpose technologies and economic growth. MIT Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Rowe D (2007) Education for a sustainable future. Science 317(5836):323–324

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salter A, D’Este P, Pavitt K, Scott A, Martin B, Geuna A, Nightingale P, Patel P (2000) Talent, not technology: the impact of publicly funded research on innovation in the UK. SPRU, University of Sussex

  • Scholz RW, Marks D (2001) Learning about transdisciplinarity: where are we? Where have we been? Where should we go? In: Klein JT, Grossenbacher-Mansuy W, Häberli R, Bill A, Scholz RW, Welti M (eds) Transdisciplinarity: joint problem solving among science, technology, and society. Birkhäuser Verlag AG, Basel, pp 236–252

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Scholz RW, Tietje O (2002) Embedded case study methods: integrating quantitative and qualitative knowledge. Sage, Thousand Oaks

    Google Scholar 

  • Scholz RW, Lang DJ, Wiek A, Walter AI, Stauffacher M (2006) Transdisciplinary case studies as a means of sustainability learning: historical framework and theory. Int J Sustain High Educ 7(3):226–251

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shriberg M (2002) Institutional assessment tools for sustainability in higher education: strengths, weaknesses, and implications for practice and theory. Int J Sustain High Educ 3(3):254–270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shriberg M (2004) Assessing sustainability: criteria, tools, and implications. In: Corcoran PB, Wals AEJ (eds) Higher education and the challenge of sustainability: problematics, promise, and practice. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 7–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Shrum W, Genuth J, Chompalov I (eds) (2007) Structures of scientific collaboration. MIT Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Sipos Y, Battisti B, Grimm K (2008) Achieving transformative sustainability learning: engaging head, hands and heart. Int J Sustain High Educ 9(1):68–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slaughter S, Leslie LL (1997) Academic capitalism: politics, policies, and the entrepreneurial university. John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  • Slaughter S, Rhoades G (2004) Academic capitalism and the new economy: markets, state and higher education. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  • Spangenberg JH (2011) Sustainability science: a review, an analysis and some empirical lessons. Environ Conserv 38(3):275–287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stauffacher M, Walter AI, Lang DJ, Wiek A, Scholz RW (2006) Learning to research environmental problems from a functional socio-cultural constructivism perspective: the transdisciplinary case study approach. Int J Sustain High Educ 7(3):252–275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stephan PE (2010) The economics of science. In: Hall BH, Rosenberg N (eds) Handbook of the economics of innovation, vol 1. North-Holland, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Talwar S, Wiek A, Robinson J (2011) User engagement in sustainability research. Sci Public Policy 38(5):379–390

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tamura M, Uegaki T (2012) A development of educational model for sustainability science: challenges in the mind-skills-knowledge education at Ibaraki University. Sustain Sci. doi:10.1007/s11625-011-0156-y

  • Thursby JG, Thursby MC (2002) Who is selling the ivory tower? Sources of growth in university licensing. Manag Sci 48(1):90–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thursby JG, Jensen R, Thursby MC (2001) Objectives, characteristics and outcomes of university licensing: a survey of major US universities. J Technol Transf 26(1–2):59–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UNESCO (1984) Activities of the UNESCO-UNEP International Environmental Education Programm (1975–1983). United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • UNESCO Education Sector (2005) United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005–2014): international implementation scheme. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Paris

  • University of Tokyo (2011) Urban reformation program for realization of bright low carbon society. http://low-carbon.k.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/index.html

  • Uwasu M, Yabar H, Kara K, Shimoda Y, Saijo T (2009) Educational initiative of Osaka University in sustainability science: mobilizing science and technology towards sustainability. Sustain Sci 4(1):45–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van der Leeuw S, Wiek A, Harlow J, Buizer J (2012) How much time do we have? Urgency and rhetoric in sustainability science. Sustain Sci 7(Suppl). doi:10.1007/s11625-011-0153-1

  • Velazquez L, Munguia N, Sanchez M (2005) Deterring sustainability in higher education institutions: an appraisal of the factors which influence sustainability in higher education institutions. Int J Sustain High Educ 6(5):383–391

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whitmer A, Ogden L, Lawton J, Sturner P, Groffman PM, Schneider L, Hart D, Halpern B, Schlesinger W, Raciti S, Bettez N, Ortega S, Rustad L, Pickett STA, Killilea M (2010) The engaged university: providing a platform for research that transforms society. Front Ecol Environ 8(6):314–321

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiek A, Withycombe L, Redman C, Banas Mills S (2011a) Moving forward on competence in sustainability research and problem solving. Environ Sci Policy Sustain Dev 53(March–April):3–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiek A, Withycombe L, Redman CL (2011b) Key competencies in sustainability: a reference framework for academic program development. Sustain Sci 6:203–218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiek A, Farioli F, Fukushi K, Yarime M (2012a) Sustainability science—bridging the gap between science and society. Sustain Sci 7(Suppl). doi:10.1007/s11625-011-0154-0

  • Wiek A, Ness B, Brand F, Schweizer-Ries P, Farioli F (2012b) From complex systems analysis to transformational change: A comparative appraisal of sustainability science projects. Sustain Sci 7(Suppl). doi:10.1007/s11625-011-0148-y

  • Wright T (2002) Definitions and frameworks for environmental sustainability in higher education. Int J Sustain High Educ 3(3):203–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright T (2004) The evolution of sustainability declaration in higher education. In: Corcoran PB, Wals AEJ (eds) Higher education and the challenge of sustainability: problematics, promise, and practice. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 7–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Yarime M (2011a) Case description of sanyo electric solar LED lantern in Kenya: growing inclusive markets. United Nations Development Programme, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Yarime M (2011b) Challenges and opportunities in sustainability science: a perspective based on research and educational experiences. In: Global University Network for Innovation (GUNI) (ed) Higher education in the world 4: higher education committed to sustainability—from understanding to action. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, pp 254–258

  • Yarime M (2011c) Exploring sustainability science: knowledge, institutions, and innovation. In: Komiyama H, Takeuchi K, Shiroyama H, Mino T (eds) Sustainability science: a multidisciplinary approach. United Nations University Press, Tokyo

    Google Scholar 

  • Yarime M, Tanaka Y (2012) The issues and methodologies in sustainability assessment tools for higher educational institutions: a review of recent trends and future challenges. J Educ Sustain Dev (forthcoming)

  • Yarime M, Takeda Y, Kajikawa Y (2010) Towards institutional analysis of sustainability science: a quantitative examination of the patterns of research collaboration. Sustain Sci 5(1):115–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

The authors thank the handling editor and three anonymous reviewers for their very constructive comments and suggestions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Science, University of Tokyo, Kashiwanoha 5-1-5, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan

    Masaru Yarime, Gregory Trencher & Takashi Mino

  2. Institute for Environmental Decisions (IED), Natural and Social Science Interface (NSSI), ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Roland W. Scholz

  3. Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS), Lund, Sweden

    Lennart Olsson & Barry Ness

  4. Dutch Research Institute For Transitions, Faculty of Social Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Niki Frantzeskaki & Jan Rotmans

Authors
  1. Masaru Yarime
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gregory Trencher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Takashi Mino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Roland W. Scholz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Lennart Olsson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Barry Ness
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Niki Frantzeskaki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Jan Rotmans
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Masaru Yarime.

Additional information

Handled by Arnim Wiek, Arizona State University, USA.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yarime, M., Trencher, G., Mino, T. et al. Establishing sustainability science in higher education institutions: towards an integration of academic development, institutionalization, and stakeholder collaborations. Sustain Sci 7 (Suppl 1), 101–113 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-012-0157-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-012-0157-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation