IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/techno/v148y2025ics0166497225001683.html

Embracing the third mission through art: Pathways to address climate change

Author

Listed:
  • Dominguez Lacasa, Iciar
  • Mietzner, Dana

Abstract

Addressing wicked problems of our society demands fundamental changes in the way we live. Universities play a pivotal role in this process through the creation and dissemination of knowledge, engaging broad sectors of society to improve understanding and to inspire action. However, universities face barriers in fulfilling their role in addressing complex societal challenges such as climate change. This contribution explores the potential of the arts to foster public engagement and stimulate responsible pathways of research at universities within this context. Using an integrative literature review, the paper provides an overview of conceptual contributions aimed at understanding different modes of the interplay between the arts, science, and society, or, more specifically, of integrating the arts into the university's third mission. The overview is organized around three pillars: (i) arts in knowledge creation, (ii) arts in the communication of scientific research, and (iii) arts in the alignment of research with societal needs. Within each pillar, specific modes of interplay between the arts, science, and society are identified and exemplified with selected climate-related artworks: i) artistic research, arts-based research, arts-science collaboration, ii) arts-based science communication and iii) arts-based responsible research and innovation. The examples hihlight resources, processes and activities enabling different modes of interplay between arts, science and society. The value of defining such modes of interplay is their use as conceptual tools for deriving arts-based strategies for university's third mission. They can help understanding the integrative potential of arts in third mission activities around diverse pillars and relevant conditions for impact assessment.

Suggested Citation

  • Dominguez Lacasa, Iciar & Mietzner, Dana, 2025. "Embracing the third mission through art: Pathways to address climate change," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:techno:v:148:y:2025:i:c:s0166497225001683
    DOI: 10.1016/j.technovation.2025.103336
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166497225001683
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.technovation.2025.103336?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Etzkowitz, Henry & Leydesdorff, Loet, 2000. "The dynamics of innovation: from National Systems and "Mode 2" to a Triple Helix of university-industry-government relations," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 109-123, February.
    2. Borrás, Susana & Gerli, Francesco & Cenzato, Rebecca, 2024. "Technology transfer offices in the diffusion of transformative innovation: Rethinking roles, resources, and capabilities," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    3. Snyder, Hannah, 2019. "Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 333-339.
    4. Shona K. Paterson & Ilan Chabay, 2024. "Navigating the currents of coastal narratives in search of sustainable futures," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 29(5), pages 1-15, June.
    5. Hessels, Laurens K. & van Lente, Harro, 2008. "Re-thinking new knowledge production: A literature review and a research agenda," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 740-760, May.
    6. Richard Owen & Phil Macnaghten & Jack Stilgoe, 2012. "Responsible research and innovation: From science in society to science for society, with society," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 39(6), pages 751-760, December.
    7. Joaquín M. Azagra-Caro & Carlos Benito-Amat & Ester Planells-Aleixandre, 2022. "Academic artists’ engagement and commercialisation," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(4), pages 1273-1296, August.
    8. Matthias Menter, 2024. "From technological to social innovation: toward a mission-reorientation of entrepreneurial universities," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 49(1), pages 104-118, February.
    9. Keunhye Lee, 2021. "Urban Public Space as a Didactic Platform: Raising Awareness of Climate Change through Experiencing Arts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-17, March.
    10. Maureen McKelvey & Olof Zaring, 2018. "Co-delivery of social innovations: exploring the university’s role in academic engagement with society," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(6), pages 594-611, July.
    11. Bayuo, Blaise Booponoyeng & Chaminade, Cristina & Göransson, Bo, 2020. "Unpacking the role of universities in the emergence, development and impact of social innovations – A systematic review of the literature," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    12. Tàbara, J. David & St. Clair, Asun Lera & Hermansen, Erlend A.T., 2017. "Transforming communication and knowledge production processes to address high-end climate change," Environmental Science & Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 31-37.
    13. Compagnucci, Lorenzo & Spigarelli, Francesca, 2020. "The Third Mission of the university: A systematic literature review on potentials and constraints," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    14. Julia Bentz, 2020. "Learning about climate change in, with and through art," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 162(3), pages 1595-1612, October.
    15. Bozeman, Barry, 2000. "Technology transfer and public policy: a review of research and theory," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(4-5), pages 627-655, April.
    16. Gregory Trencher & Masaru Yarime & Kes B. McCormick & Christopher N. H. Doll & Steven B. Kraines, 2014. "Beyond the third mission: Exploring the emerging university function of co-creation for sustainability," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 41(2), pages 151-179.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Angelo Riviezzo & Michela C. Mason & Gioele Zamparo & Maria Rosaria Napolitano, 2025. "University in downtown: developing a new scale to assess the impact of university activities on the community," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 50(6), pages 2928-2965, December.
    2. Irene Ramos-Vielba & Nicolas Robinson-Garcia & Richard Woolley, 2022. "A value creation model from science-society interconnections: Archetypal analysis combining publications, survey and altmetric data," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(6), pages 1-23, June.
    3. Uwe Cantner & Martin Kalthaus & Indira Yarullina, 2024. "Outcomes of science-industry collaboration: factors and interdependencies," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 49(2), pages 542-580, April.
    4. R. Sandra Schillo & Jeffrey S. Kinder, 2017. "Delivering on societal impacts through open innovation: a framework for government laboratories," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(4), pages 977-996, August.
    5. Rosivalda Pereira & Mário Franco, 2023. "University-Firm Cooperation and Regional Development: Proposal of a Model of Analysis," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 14(2), pages 676-690, June.
    6. Rossi, Federica & De Silva, Muthu & Pavone, Pasquale & Rosli, Ainurul & Yip, Nick K.T., 2024. "Proximity and impact of university-industry collaborations. A topic detection analysis of impact reports," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    7. Paget, Nicolas & Le Gal, Pierre-Yves & Goulet, Frédéric, 2024. "Motivations and challenges of intrapreneurship in research organizations. The case of decision support systems in agricultural research for development," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    8. Püttmann, Vitus & Thomsen, Stephan L., 2025. "The microfoundations of academics’ engagement with society," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    9. James A. Cunningham & Matthias Menter & Felix Starke, 2025. "The evolution of university technology transfer research: a text mining approach," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 50(3), pages 1231-1268, June.
    10. Compagnucci, Lorenzo & Spigarelli, Francesca, 2020. "The Third Mission of the university: A systematic literature review on potentials and constraints," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    11. Battaglia, Daniele & Landoni, Paolo & Rizzitelli, Francesco, 2017. "Organizational structures for external growth of University Technology Transfer Offices: An explorative analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 45-56.
    12. Julia Olmos‐Peñuela & Paul Benneworth & Elena Castro‐Martínez, 2015. "Exploring the factors related with scientists’ willingness to incorporating external knowledge," CHEPS Working Papers 201504, University of Twente, Center for Higher Education Policy Studies (CHEPS).
    13. Annita Nugent & Ho Fai Chan & Uwe Dulleck, 2022. "Government funding of university-industry collaboration: exploring the impact of targeted funding on university patent activity," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(1), pages 29-73, January.
    14. Marcela Marçal Alves Pinto Mick & João Luiz Kovaleski & Rui Tadashi Yoshino & Daiane Maria de Genaro Chiroli, 2024. "The Influence Between Industry 4.0 and Technology Transfer: A Framework Based on Systematic Literature Review," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(4), pages 21582440241, November.
    15. Puertas, Rosa & Guaita-Martinez, José M. & Marti, Luisa, 2023. "Analysis of the impact of university policies on society's environmental perception," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    16. James A. Cunningham & Paul O’Reilly, 2018. "Macro, meso and micro perspectives of technology transfer," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 545-557, June.
    17. Fabrizio Cesaroni & Andrea Piccaluga, 2016. "The activities of university knowledge transfer offices: towards the third mission in Italy," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 41(4), pages 753-777, August.
    18. Alessandro Iudicibus & Laura Prota & Francesco Savoia, 2025. "Assessing the role of technological districts in regional innovation policies: a network analysis of collaborative R&D projects," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 62-95, February.
    19. Gibson, Elizabeth & Daim, Tugrul U. & Dabic, Marina, 2019. "Evaluating university industry collaborative research centers," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 181-202.
    20. Llopis, Oscar & D'Este, Pablo & McKelvey, Maureen & Yegros, Alfredo, 2022. "Navigating multiple logics: Legitimacy and the quest for societal impact in science," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:techno:v:148:y:2025:i:c:s0166497225001683. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01664972 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.