Studying and researching Sustainability at Leuphana University of Lüneburg
Prof. Dr. Daniel J. Lang
Institute of Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research
ICSS 2012, February 22nd
Policy & planning
Institutional arenas
Vision /final goal
1)
2)
3)
Campus & facilities manage-
ment/adminis-tration
Foundation for operational & cultural changes (history, key principles, master planning, etc.)
EducationColla-
boration/outreach
Enduringsustainable university
Research
Sustainability at Leuphana
21.04.23 2
Foundation: Sustainability is one of the key principles for Leuphana University‘s development. Its core activities - research, teaching and transfer - are seen as basic academic action areas for the development of a sustainable society.
Leu
ph
ana
Un
iver
sity
of
Lü
neb
urg Humanistic university
Sustainable university
Education through scholarship.
Action-oriented university
Transformation competence for sustainable development.
Analysis, creativity and reflexivity with regard to practical problems.
21.04.23 3
Research: Realizing “true” inter- and transdisciplinarity
Since Oct 2010
Faculty Sustainability
Re-
cons
truc
tion
Re-
construction
Anthropogenicsystem
Natural environment
Mitigation
Adaption Ecosystemservices
Material flowsin the
natural environment
Effects in and on theEcosystem,
spatial development
Indirect repercussions
Rational planningand
decision making
Management,EnvironmentalGovernance
Communication,participation,
discourse
Learning,orientation,
competence of action
Direct repercussions
Core research topics
Sustainabilityhuman sciences
Societal playersCommunication, education,
participation, new media
Public playersSustainability economics,
sustainability policy, sustainability governance
Corporate playersSustainability management, supply
chain management, social entrepreneurship
Individual players/ genderSustainability psychology, environmental psychology,
sustainability ethics
Legal playersSustainability law,
environmental and energy law, international law
Social &
environmental change
Trans-disciplinarity
in sustainability research:
Methods and projects
InternationalSustainable
Development
Sustainabilitynatural & technical sciences
Ecosystems & biodiversityBiology, ecology, ecosystems
functioning, land ecology
MattersEnvironmental chemistry,
material resources, environmental analysis
Industrial design & infrastructure
Industrial ecology, physics renewable energies, eco-design,
sustainable infrastructure development
InformationSustainable informatics, sust.
ambient computingsustainability modeling
IT Application
SpaceEnvironmental planning, landscape
development, traffic planning
4
Societally relevantproblem
Collaboration: Enabling mutual learning processes
Researcher
StudentsActors outside
academiaEducational institutions
and sustainable consumption
Innovation network sustainable SME
Sustainable community
development
Picture: DerHexer
21.04.23 5
Campus development
Education: Higher Education for Sustainable Developmenthas been integrated in the form of a general studies mandatory component for all Bachelor students and different degree programmes.
21.04.23 7
General studies for all Bachelor students:
(1) Leuphana Semester covers the first semester of all Bachelor study programmes and is mandatory for all first semester Bachelor students, independently from their major studies.
Module “Science bears Responsibility“ accounts for 1/3 ofthe Leuphana Semester and covers sustainability issues and illustrates ethical behaviour.
(2) Complementary studies accompany all Bachelor study programmes and cover several sustainability seminars.
Specialisation options:(1) Bachelor studies: Major in Evironmental Sciences
Minor in Sustainable Development
(2) Master studies: Sustainability Sciences
(3) MBA: Sustainability Management
(4) PhD: Sustainability Sciences
Leuphana Bachelor
21.04.23 8
Leuphana Semester – Module „Science and its social responsibility“
21.04.23 9
Leuphana Bachelor: Major Environmental Sciences
21.04.23 10
Trans-disciplnary Project (and
Ethics)
Trans-disciplnary Project (and
Ethics)
MethodsMethods
FundamentalsFundamentals
SpecializationSpecialization
Thesis workThesis work
Master of Arts and Sciences, Sustainability Science
21.04.23 11
Transdisciplnary Project20 ECTS (of 120 in total)
25-30 Stundents (compulsory)2-3 Lecturers (½ of the
average teaching load of one Professor in total)
Transdisciplnary Project20 ECTS (of 120 in total)
25-30 Stundents (compulsory)2-3 Lecturers (½ of the
average teaching load of one Professor in total)
Methods and skills
Methods and skills
Advanced disciplinary and interdisciplinary FundamentalsAdvanced disciplinary and interdisciplinary Fundamentals
SpecializationSpecialization
Thesis workThesis work
Insights into one Td-project first semester
21.04.23 12
„Collaboration“ „Case encounter“
Workshop
Current state analysis
Theory
Insights into one Td-project second semester
21.04.23 13
Actor analysis
Actor analysis
Analysis of documentsAnalysis of documents TheoryTheory
Expert InterviesExpert
Intervies
Organiz.analysisOrganiz.analysis
IndicatorsIndicators
Pictures: Mieg und Näf 2005, p. 5 Grundwald & Kopfmüller 2003OECD 2001, p. 134Students
14
Global Classroom – Liberal Arts Education for the 21st century
21.04.23
Thank you very much for your attention!
Contact: daniel.lang@leuphana .de
Course results
„Products“Draft of a scientific paper
Discussion paper for the city administration
Research report
„Process results“Raised awarenes in the city administration
Results will be presented to the city council Implementation of concept?
Follow up project for the next semester
Inputs for ongoing research project
21.04.23 16
Course evaluatoin
21.04.23 17
Societally relevantproblem
Researcher/Lecturer
StudentsActors outside
academia
•Not totally “satisfied” by results of first semester
•Uncertain about scient. quality of final results
•Quite enthusiastic about the project
•Interested in continuing collaboration
•Different success in meeting learning targets
•Students self evaluation of the learning success mixed
•Evaluation with regards to capacity building difficult
Challenges and critical factors for course success
21.04.23 18
Students’ learning success
Degree of structure defined by the instructors vs. freedom of the students
Time and method for reflecting learning process
(Lack of) complementary courses preparing for / facilitating PBL (e.g. method seminar etc.)
Project
Engagement/commitment of the external partners
Relation of the project to ongoing research activities within the faculty
Type of problem
Institutional barriers and coping strategies
“Didactical competences” in PBL of faculty members Seminars in PBL / Professional development
Ambitious goals to implement/restructure several PBL courses simultaneously Understand and communicate course development as learning experience itself
Supervision time allocated to PBL courses (“Project oriented courses do not need the same intensity of supervision as other course types”)
Taking concept/vision of program seriously
Time schedule of courses during the semester (only two fixed time slots) ? because of conflict with other goals such as student mobility
21.04.23 19
Principles for rethinking undergraduate curricula for the 21st century (http://curriculumreform.org/curriculum-reform-manifesto/)
As a central guideline teach disciplines rigorously in introductory courses together with a set of parallel seminars devoted to complex real life problems that transcend disciplinary boundaries.
Teach knowledge in its social, cultural and political contexts. Teach not just the factual subject matter, but highlight the challenges, open questions and uncertainties of each discipline.
Create awareness of the great problems humanity is facing (hunger, poverty, public health, sustainability, climate change, water resources, security, etc.) and show that no single discipline can adequately address any of them.
Use these challenges to demonstrate and rigorously practice interdisciplinarity, avoiding the dangers of interdisciplinary dilettantism.
Treat knowledge historically and examine critically how it is generated, acquired, and used. Emphasize that different cultures have their own traditions and different ways of knowing. Do not treat knowledge as static and embedded in a fixed canon.
21.04.23 20
Principles for rethinking undergraduate curricula for the 21st century (http://curriculumreform.org/curriculum-reform-manifesto/)
Provide all students with a fundamental understanding of the basics of the natural and the social sciences, as well as the humanities. Emphasize and illustrate the connections between these traditions of knowledge.
Engage with the world’s complexity and messiness. This applies to the sciences as much as to the social, political and cultural dimensions of the world. Such an engagement will contribute to the education of concerned citizens.
Emphasize a broad and inclusive evolutionary mode of thinking in all areas of the curriculum.
Familiarize students with non-linear phenomena in all areas of knowledge.
Fuse theory and analytic rigor with practice and the application of knowledge to real-world problems.
Rethink the implications of modern communication and information technologies for education and the architecture of the university.
21.04.23 21
Concluding remarks
Diversity of PBL/project oriented learning approaches crucial and relevant though we should learn from experiences of others
• Reflection and Evaluation of learning success with regards to competence building is crucial but difficult
• Two open questions (besides many others)
– What is the role of the problem and its transformation in relation to the learning targets? (and how do we measure success in this respect?)
– In how far does project oriented learning in sustainability science depend on a paradigm shift in the way we do research?
21.04.23 22
Learning goals
Minor SDLeuphana
Ability to deal with complex problems and uncertainty
Ability to collaborate inter- and transdisciplinary
Ability to plan and realize sustainability related projects
21.04.23 23
TdCS ETH
Content: knowledge about the case investigated
Method: use and adapt embedded case study methods
Transdisciplinarity: integrate knowledge and values from both university and people outside the university
Skills: such as group processes, cross cultural communication…
Prerequisites of HESD
Dealing with complexity
Inter- and transdisciplinary problem solving
Self directed collaborative
learning
Competence development
Initial comparison with regards to some crucial aspects
21.04.23 24
Minor SDLeuphana
TdCSETH Zurich
General education (Bildung) vs. Research
Stronger focus on Bildung -> freedom to experiment, less learning to research ID/TDProblem based learning
Stronger focus research -> partly decreases degree of freedom for studentsProject oriented learning
Learning with/from actors o.U.
„Transfer“ in a collaborative process in last term
Focuse on mutual learning right from the beginning
“HESD-strategy”
Complement disciplinary expertise
SD competencies as core expertise
Teacher qualifications
Tutor/Coach with process/method expertise
Same but also research expertise required „Ideal of team teaching“
Einblicke
1. Td als Forschungspraxis • Eher Haltung und Herangehensweise
1. Ziele/Fragestellungen einer Td-Accademy• Strukturierung von problemrientierter Forschung• Reflexion normativer Grundannahmen (Gemeinwohl)• Generalisierbarkeit vs.? Fallstudienforschung• Wirkung von Td-Forschung (socially robust knowledge?) -> Kriterien
2. Organisation• Unabhängiger Beirat -> Definiert Themen• Offene Bewerbungen von Fellows
21.04.23 25
Further PBL opportunities (Undergraduate level)
21.04.23 26
Further PBL opportunities (Undergraduate level)
21.04.23 27
1. Choose a society relevant Problem field
2. Syndrome Approach / Analyze the System
3. Defining Interactions and driving forces
4. Case Study as concrete Example
5. Evolve relevant, collaborative Knowledge
6. Development of Scenarios
7. Formulating of specific projects
8. Define and select concrete actions
Choose a society relevant
Problem field
Analyze the System by using
the syndrome approach
Make it concrete
using a case study
Develop possible scenarios
Formulating of
specific projects
Synthesis of thematic threads
Minor Sustainable Development: Methodological Framework (guiding the learning process)
System analysis and concretication using syndrome approach
Scenario Analysis
Concrete Project with Partners from Practice
21.04.23 28
Spezifische Zugänge zum Thema nachhaltige Entwicklung
Mi05 Mi06
Mi03 Mi04
Mi02
Mi01
Working with complex problemsAnalysing Unsustainability with
the Syndrom Approach
Developing Sustainable Scenarios:
Methods of Scenario Management
Shaping the future:Transdisciplinary project work II
Inter- and Transdiscipinary Cooperation
Introducing the fieldIssues of Sustainable Development
Shaping the future:Transdisciplinary project work I
Minor Sustainable Development: Structure of modules
2921.04.23
Learning objectives
• Students should acquire basic knowledge in and abilities to:– identify and structure societal relevant problems– design, realize and evaluate transdisciplinary research in close collaboration with actors outside
academia – Critically reflect transdisciplinary research projects
• Targeted methodological competences– Problem structuring– Selection, adaptation and integration of theories and methods adequate for approaching the
problem– Structuring, management and moderation of working processes (individually and in the group)– Identification and integration of relevant disciplines and stakeholders
• Targeted (inter-) personal competences– Project and group management (including conflict management, division of labor etc.)– Presentation of results to different target groups – Collaboration with various actors– Reflexive research and project work
21.04.23 30
31
The comprehensive studies program offers students a global and multi-layered outlook on interdisciplinary subjects – several sustainability topics in different perspectives
LEUPHANA BACHELORLEUPHANA BACHELOR
COMPREHENSIVE STUDIES
“Understanding & Changing”(Humanities, Social and Cultural Sciences)
“Projects & Praxis”(Project Perspective)
Each perspective can be taken a max. of three times (15 CP); a course in the perspective „Language & Culture“ is required
A minimum of three out of the six perspectives have to be taken
30 CP total in the Leuphana Bachelor
Gender and Diversity runs as a theme in all six perspectives
“Art & Aesthetics”(creative, reflexive, discursive)
“Technology & Culture”(Natural Science and Engineering)
“Language & Culture”(Socio-Linguistics, Intercultural Studies)
“Methods & Models”(interdisciplinary, focus on application)
As of the second semester
21.04.2305.10.2007
Structure: Transdisciplinary Research Process
Scientific problems uncertainty
lack of methods disciplinary specialisation
generalisation
Results useful for societal praxis
strategies concepts
measures prototypes
Actor specific societal discourse
administration institutions NGO’s corporations
politics media
New transferable knowledge
actor oriented interdisciplinary
Transdisciplinaryintegration
Scientific discourse institutions of higher education
non-university research industrial research
Societal problems everyday life relevant
actor specific
Common research object
team building
Results relevant for scientific praxis
methodical and theoretical innovations
new research questions
Quelle: Keil, F. (2009). Reflexive Transdisciplinarity. Producing Knowledge for Sustainable Development. Presentation at the Conference “Towards a knowledge democracy”. Leiden 25-27. Aug. 2009
Problem -identification, -definition and –framing1st Semester
Analysis / collaborative research 2nd Semester (ideally start already at the End of Semester 1)
Re-Integration of the results2nd Semester (ongoing)
21.04.23 32
2010/11 Project: Sustainable community developmentHow can city administrations contribute to sustainable community/city development? Relevance and potential design of an internal coordination office for sustainability
3321.04.23