IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jahrfr/v37y2017i2d10.1007_s10037-017-0116-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The role of higher education institutions in regional transition paths towards sustainability

Author

Listed:
  • Verena Radinger-Peer

    (University of Natural Resoures and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU))

  • Gesa Pflitsch

    (Philipps-University Marburg)

Abstract

The present paper investigates the role of the located Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the transformation towards sustainability of the city of Linz as well as the region of Upper Austria. We argue that HEIs have the potential to spur a regional transition towards sustainability via the channels of teaching, research and outreach. We furthermore take into account that organisational- and field-level drivers influence the role of HEIs within the regional transition paths towards sustainability (RTPS). We chose an explorative research design in order to give a realistic picture of the potentials and limitations of HEIs’ involvement in regional transitions to sustainability. The role of the five HEIs located in the city of Linz is studied through in-depth expert interviews and a comprehensive document analysis. The investigation reveals that there is no contribution of HEIs as a whole to RTPS, but that the impact is dependent on individual highly engaged “frontrunners” enacting change and at the same time on leadership from the university management. Moreover, regulative drivers at the field-level and normative as well as cognitive drivers at the organisational-level affect HEIs’ contribution.

Suggested Citation

  • Verena Radinger-Peer & Gesa Pflitsch, 2017. "The role of higher education institutions in regional transition paths towards sustainability," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 37(2), pages 161-187, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jahrfr:v:37:y:2017:i:2:d:10.1007_s10037-017-0116-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s10037-017-0116-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10037-017-0116-9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10037-017-0116-9?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 search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808, Decembrie.
    2. Ron Boschma & Ron Martin (ed.), 2010. "The Handbook of Evolutionary Economic Geography," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 12864.
    3. Bernhard Truffer & Lars Coenen, 2012. "Environmental Innovation and Sustainability Transitions in Regional Studies," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(1), pages 1-21, November.
    4. Michael Fritsch & Viktor Slavtchev, 2010. "How does industry specialization affect the efficiency of regional innovation systems?," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 45(1), pages 87-108, August.
    5. Harald Rohracher & Philipp Späth, 2014. "The Interplay of Urban Energy Policy and Socio-technical Transitions: The Eco-cities of Graz and Freiburg in Retrospect," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 51(7), pages 1415-1431, May.
    6. Frank Geels & J Jasper Deuten, 2006. "Local and global dynamics in technological development: a socio-cognitive perspective on knowledge flows and lessons from reinforced concrete," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 33(4), pages 265-275, May.
    7. John Goddard & Jaana Puukka, 2008. "The Engagement of Higher Educational Institutions in Regional Development: An Overview of the Opportunities and Challenges," Higher Education Management and Policy, OECD Publishing, vol. 20(2), pages 3-33.
    8. Genus, Audley & Coles, Anne-Marie, 2008. "Rethinking the multi-level perspective of technological transitions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(9), pages 1436-1445, October.
    9. Shiri Breznitz & Maryann Feldman, 2012. "The engaged university," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 37(2), pages 139-157, April.
    10. Unknown, 2005. "Forward," 2005 Conference: Slovenia in the EU - Challenges for Agriculture, Food Science and Rural Affairs, November 10-11, 2005, Moravske Toplice, Slovenia 183804, Slovenian Association of Agricultural Economists (DAES).
    11. Chrys Gunasekara, 2006. "The generative and developmental roles of universities in regional innovation systems," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 33(2), pages 137-150, March.
    12. Verena Peer & Marianne Penker, 2016. "Higher Education Institutions and Regional Development," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 39(2), pages 228-253, April.
    13. Peter Arbo & Paul Benneworth, 2007. "Understanding the Regional Contribution of Higher Education Institutions: A Literature Review," OECD Education Working Papers 9, OECD Publishing.
    14. David Gibbs, 2006. "Prospects for an Environmental Economic Geography: Linking Ecological Modernization and Regulationist Approaches," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 82(2), pages 193-215, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Gesa Pflitsch & Verena Radinger-Peer, 2018. "Developing Boundary-Spanning Capacity for Regional Sustainability Transitions—A Comparative Case Study of the Universities of Augsburg (Germany) and Linz (Austria)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-26, March.
    2. Birgit Hoinle & Ilka Roose & Himanshu Shekhar, 2021. "Creating Transdisciplinary Teaching Spaces. Cooperation of Universities and Non-University Partners to Design Higher Education for Regional Sustainable Transition," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-21, March.
    3. Hendrik Hansmeier, 2021. "Geography of eco-innovations vis-à-vis geography of sustainability transitions: Two sides of the same coin?," GEIST - Geography of Innovation and Sustainability Transitions 2021(07), GEIST Working Paper Series.
    4. Lisa Bohunovsky & Verena Radinger-Peer & Marianne Penker, 2020. "Alliances of Change Pushing Organizational Transformation Towards Sustainability across 13 Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-20, April.
    5. Thomas Brenner & Daniel Schiller, 2019. "Regional Interaction and Effects of Universities: Introduction to the Special Issue," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 39(2), pages 113-117, October.
    6. Shaikha R. Al-Nuaimi & Sami G. Al-Ghamdi, 2022. "Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice towards Sustainability Aspects among Higher Education Students in Qatar," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-17, October.
    7. Lorenz Blume & Thomas Brenner & Guido Buenstorf, 2017. "Universities and sustainable regional development: introduction to the special issue," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 37(2), pages 103-109, October.
    8. Rachael Budowle & Eric Krszjzaniek & Chelsea Taylor, 2021. "Students as Change Agents for Community–University Sustainability Transition Partnerships," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-26, May.
    9. Jorge Espinoza-Molina & Alberto Paucar-Cáceres & Maria del Carmen Silva-Cornejo & Silvia Quispe-Prieto & Karina Acosta-Caipa & Esther Chambe-Vega & Erbert Osco-Mamani & Franklin Cordova-Buiza & Toni B, 2022. "Enabling Risk Management and Adaptation to Climate Change through a Network of Peruvian Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-16, December.
    10. Walter Leal Filho & João Henrique Paulino Pires Eustachio & Adriana Cristina Ferreira Caldana & Markus Will & Amanda Lange Salvia & Izabela S. Rampasso & Rosley Anholon & Johannes Platje & Marina Kova, 2020. "Sustainability Leadership in Higher Education Institutions: An Overview of Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-19, May.
    11. Verena Radinger-Peer & Gesa Pflitsch & Helga Kanning & Daniel Schiller, 2021. "Establishing the Regional Sustainable Developmental Role of Universities—From the Multilevel-Perspective (MLP) and Beyond," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-21, June.
    12. Kujath, Hans Joachim & Pasternack, Peer & Radinger-Peer, Verena, 2020. "Governance-Formen des regionalen Wissenstransfers," Forschungsberichte der ARL: Aufsätze, in: Postlep, Rolf-Dieter & Blume, Lorenz & Hülz, Martina (ed.), Hochschulen und ihr Beitrag für eine nachhaltige Regionalentwicklung, volume 11, pages 76-118, ARL – Akademie für Raumentwicklung in der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft.
    13. Pedro Mauricio Acosta-Castellanos & Araceli Queiruga-Dios, 2022. "Education for Sustainable Development (ESD): An Example of Curricular Inclusion in Environmental Engineering in Colombia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-21, August.
    14. Szopik-Depczyńska, Katarzyna & Cheba, Katarzyna & Bąk, Iwona & Kędzierska-Szczepaniak, Angelika & Szczepaniak, Krzysztof & Ioppolo, Giuseppe, 2020. "Innovation level and local development of EU regions. A new assessment approach," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    15. Tingting Liu & Xiaoxian Zhu & Mengqiu Cao, 2022. "Impacts of Reduced Inequalities on Quality Education: Examining the Relationship between Regional Sustainability and Higher Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-15, October.
    16. Wakkee, Ingrid & van der Sijde, Peter & Vaupell, Christiaan & Ghuman, Karminder, 2019. "The university's role in sustainable development: Activating entrepreneurial scholars as agents of change," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 195-205.
    17. Diana Velasco & Alejandra Boni & Carlos Delgado & Geisler Dayani Rojas-Forero, 2021. "Exploring the Role of a Colombian University to Promote Just Transitions. An Analysis from the Human Development and the Regional Transition Pathways to Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-24, May.
    18. Valeria Andreoni & Valeria Ruiz Vargas, 2020. "Tracking the Interlinkages across SDGs: The Case of Hill Centered Education Network in Bogota, Colombia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-13, September.
    19. Alberto Paucar‐Caceres & Melissa Franchini Cavalcanti‐Bandos & Silvia Cristina Quispe‐Prieto & Lucero Nicole Huerta‐Tantalean & Katarzyna Werner‐Masters, 2022. "Using soft systems methodology to align community projects with sustainability development in higher education stakeholders' networks in a Brazilian university," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(4), pages 750-764, July.
    20. Małgorzata Dzimińska & Justyna Fijałkowska & Łukasz Sułkowski, 2020. "A Conceptual Model Proposal: Universities as Culture Change Agents for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-23, June.
    21. Sarfraz Aslam & Khalida Parveen & Abdulelah A. Alghamdi & Safdar Abbas & Akhter Habib Shah & Kesavan Vadakalur Elumalai, 2022. "Hopes for the Future: Capturing the Perspectives of Students on Higher Education and Sustainable Development in the Post-Pandemic Era," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-16, October.
    22. Tigran Keryan & Andreas Muhar & Tamara Mitrofanenko & Ashot Khoetsyan & Verena Radinger-Peer, 2020. "Towards Implementing Transdisciplinarity in Post-Soviet Academic Systems: An Investigation of the Societal Role of Universities in Armenia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-19, October.
    23. Daqing Zu & Kang Cao & Jian Xu, 2021. "The Impacts of Transportation Sustainability on Higher Education in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-17, November.

    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. Gesa Pflitsch & Verena Radinger-Peer, 2018. "Developing Boundary-Spanning Capacity for Regional Sustainability Transitions—A Comparative Case Study of the Universities of Augsburg (Germany) and Linz (Austria)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-26, March.
    2. Coenen, Lars & Benneworth, Paul & Truffer, Bernhard, 2012. "Toward a spatial perspective on sustainability transitions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(6), pages 968-979.
    3. Verena Radinger-Peer & Gesa Pflitsch & Helga Kanning & Daniel Schiller, 2021. "Establishing the Regional Sustainable Developmental Role of Universities—From the Multilevel-Perspective (MLP) and Beyond," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-21, June.
    4. Marcel Bednarz & Tom Broekel, 2020. "Pulled or pushed? The spatial diffusion of wind energy between local demand and supply [Constructing regional advantage: platform policies based on related variety and differentiated knowledge base," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press, vol. 29(4), pages 893-916.
    5. Simone Strambach & Gesa Pflitsch, 2016. "Micro-dynamics in regional transition paths to sustainability - an analysis of organizational and institutional change in Augsburgs transition topology," Working Papers on Innovation and Space 2016-03, Philipps University Marburg, Department of Geography.
    6. Kujath, Hans Joachim & Pasternack, Peer & Radinger-Peer, Verena, 2020. "Governance-Formen des regionalen Wissenstransfers," Forschungsberichte der ARL: Aufsätze, in: Postlep, Rolf-Dieter & Blume, Lorenz & Hülz, Martina (ed.), Hochschulen und ihr Beitrag für eine nachhaltige Regionalentwicklung, volume 11, pages 76-118, ARL – Akademie für Raumentwicklung in der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft.
    7. Cheng Wang & Tao Lv & Rongjiang Cai & Jianfeng Xu & Liya Wang, 2022. "Bibliometric Analysis of Multi-Level Perspective on Sustainability Transition Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-31, March.
    8. Sebastian Fastenrath & Boris Braun, 2018. "Lost in Transition? Directions for an Economic Geography of Urban Sustainability Transitions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-17, July.
    9. Cornelia Lawson, 2016. "Putting the Region First: Knowledge Transfer at Universities in Greater Manchester," International Studies in Entrepreneurship, in: David Audretsch & Erik Lehmann & Michele Meoli & Silvio Vismara (ed.), University Evolution, Entrepreneurial Activity and Regional Competitiveness, edition 127, chapter 0, pages 303-325, Springer.
    10. Chaoren Lu, 2014. "The role of sustainability policy in influencing service innovation. a case study of Changzhou BRT system," ECONOMICS AND POLICY OF ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2014(3), pages 167-168.
    11. Zuti, Bence & Lukovics, Miklós, 2014. "How to Measure the Local Economic Impact of the Universities’ Third Mission Activities?," MPRA Paper 77573, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Davide Castellani & Giovanni Marin & Sandro Montresor & Antonello Zanfei, 2020. "Foreign Direct Investments and Regional Specialization in Environmental Technologies," SEEDS Working Papers 0620, SEEDS, Sustainability Environmental Economics and Dynamics Studies, revised Apr 2020.
    13. Sebele, Lesego S., 2010. "Community-based tourism ventures, benefits and challenges: Khama Rhino Sanctuary Trust, Central District, Botswana," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 136-146.
    14. Carlo Carraro & Lorenza Campagnolo & Fabio Eboli & Elisa Lanzi & Ramiro Parrado & Elisa Portale, 2012. "Quantifying Sustainability: A New Approach and World Ranking," Working Papers 2012.94, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    15. Karahasanović Dina & Tatić Kasim & Avdić Armin, 2012. "Sustainable Development Indicator with Special Focus on Developing Countries. Proposal of New Sustainable Development Index (Nsdi)," Scientific Annals of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 59(1), pages 257-273, July.
    16. Jens Koehrsen, 2017. "Boundary Bridging Arrangements: A Boundary Work Approach to Local Energy Transitions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-23, March.
    17. Sungjo Hong & Ihl Kweon & Bum-Hyun Lee & Heechul Kim, 2019. "Indicators and Assessment System for Sustainability of Municipalities: A Case Study of South Korea’s Assessment of Sustainability of Cities (ASC)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-21, November.
    18. Betsy Donald & Mia Gray & Centre for Business Research, 2018. "The Double Crisis: In What Sense A Regional Problem?," Working Papers wp507, Centre for Business Research, University of Cambridge.
    19. Köhrsen, Jens, 2018. "Exogenous shocks, social skill, and power: Urban energy transitions as social fields," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 307-315.
    20. Andrea Bonaccorsi & Daniele Biancardi & Mabel Sanchez Barrioluengo & Federico Biagi, 2019. "Study on Higher Education Institutions and Local Development," JRC Research Reports JRC117272, Joint Research Centre (Seville site).

    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:spr:jahrfr:v:37:y:2017:i:2:d:10.1007_s10037-017-0116-9. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.