Transdisciplinary Research for Sustainable Development: Diverse and Best-Practice at European Technical Universities

Inge Leurs (), Katarzyna Rostek (), Kathrin Wieck (), Julia Backhaus () and Javier Orozco-Messana ()
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Inge Leurs: Human Technology Center, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, GERMANY
Katarzyna Rostek: Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Management, Warsaw, POLAND
Kathrin Wieck: Technische Universität Berlin, Office for Science and Society, Berlin, GERMANY
Julia Backhaus: Human Technology Center, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, GERMANY
Javier Orozco-Messana: Universitat Politècnica de València, Instituto de Tecnologia de Materiales, Valencia, SPAIN

Foundations of Management, 2024, vol. 16, issue 1, 41-58

Abstract: As societal challenges grow, so does the role of universities in finding social and technological solutions. Technical universities are prominent in educating future innovators and developing desired technological and social change. This paper seeks to identify commonalities and better understand differences to develop strategies for mutual support and exchange of best practices. The methodological approach focuses on three questions concerning 1) the common understanding of transdisciplinary, 2) the diversity of transdisciplinary approaches to sustainable development, and 3) the different institutional structures that enable and promote transdisciplinary approaches to sustainability. The qualitative exploratory research suggests that a higher level of societal engagement in scientific research positively impacts societal transformation towards sustainability. This research is also a first step towards making transdisciplinary research at technical universities more visible and transparent to provide better support and create a mutual learning environment for discussing and continuously developing strategies for organizational change.

Keywords: transdisciplinary; societal impact; levels of engagement; sustainable development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I23 I25 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:vrs:founma:v:16:y:2024:i:1:p:41-58:n:3

DOI: 10.2478/fman-2024-0003

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