250
H. Avery and B. Nordén
Finally, in any redefinition of priorities and restructuring of HEIs, the most important question is who defines what “sustainability” is, and through which processes
new agendas are shaped. All fields and all employees must be involved, and have
the time and means to do so—surveys and isolated consultations will not lead to
engagement and determination. At the same time, those academics and research
environments that are already committed to sustainability and global justice are an
invaluable resource and can no longer be marginalised in agenda-setting (Avery and
Nordén 2017).
HEIs today are constituted by academics whose disciplinary orientation, expertise
and identity have been vested into an unsustainable paradigm. These are the people we
have to work with, this is the expertise we have available. Paradoxically, therefore, to
be radical, the transformation of HEIs must also be “soft”, shaping realistic pathways
and incentives for a shift in priorities and space to develop new skills for teachers,
administrators and researchers. However, transformation will not be possible as long
as sustainability and global justice are seen as add-ons and additional demands on
time and resources, on top of a long list of other requirements. The focus must,
therefore, lie on dismantling those drivers that otherwise keep sustainability on the
margins.
References
Adger WN (2006) Vulnerability. Glob Environ Change 16(3):268–281
Adloff F, Neckel S (2019) Futures of sustainability as modernization, transformation, and control:
a conceptual framework. Sustain Sci 14(4):1015–1025
Alexander S (2012) Planned economic contraction: the emerging case for degrowth. Environ Politics
21(3):349–368
Andersen AS, Kjeldsen TH (2015) Theoretical foundations of PPL at Roskilde university. In:
Andersen AS, Heilesen SB (eds) The Roskilde Model: problem-oriented learning and project
work. Springer, Cham, pp 3–16
Avery H, Nordén B (2017) Working with the divides: two critical axes in development for
transformative professional practices. Int J Sustain High Educ 18(5):666–680
Acosta A (2013) Extractivism and neoextractivism: two sides of the same curse. In: Lang M,
Mokrani M (eds) Beyond development: alternative visions from Latin America. Transnational
Inst., pp 61–86
Baker-Shelley A, van Zeijl-Rozema A, Martens P (2017) A conceptual synthesis of organisational
transformation: how to diagnose, and navigate, pathways for sustainability at universities? J Clean
Prod 145:262–276
Berkes F (2007) Understanding uncertainty and reducing vulnerability: lessons from resilience
thinking. Nat Hazards 41(2):283–295
Beynaghi A, Trencher G, Moztarzadeh F, Mozafari M, Maknoon R, Leal Filho W (2016) Future
sustainability scenarios for universities: moving beyond the United Nations decade of education
for sustainable development. J Clean Prod 112(4):3464–3478
Chan W (2004) International cooperation in higher education: theory and practice. J Stud Int Educ
8(1):32–55
Cooke RA (1987) The organizational culture inventory. Human Synergistics, Plymouth
Fiksel J (2006) Sustainability and resilience: toward a systems approach. Sustain Sci Prac Policy
2(2):14–21
H. Avery and B. Nordén
Finally, in any redefinition of priorities and restructuring of HEIs, the most important question is who defines what “sustainability” is, and through which processes
new agendas are shaped. All fields and all employees must be involved, and have
the time and means to do so—surveys and isolated consultations will not lead to
engagement and determination. At the same time, those academics and research
environments that are already committed to sustainability and global justice are an
invaluable resource and can no longer be marginalised in agenda-setting (Avery and
Nordén 2017).
HEIs today are constituted by academics whose disciplinary orientation, expertise
and identity have been vested into an unsustainable paradigm. These are the people we
have to work with, this is the expertise we have available. Paradoxically, therefore, to
be radical, the transformation of HEIs must also be “soft”, shaping realistic pathways
and incentives for a shift in priorities and space to develop new skills for teachers,
administrators and researchers. However, transformation will not be possible as long
as sustainability and global justice are seen as add-ons and additional demands on
time and resources, on top of a long list of other requirements. The focus must,
therefore, lie on dismantling those drivers that otherwise keep sustainability on the
margins.
References
Adger WN (2006) Vulnerability. Glob Environ Change 16(3):268–281
Adloff F, Neckel S (2019) Futures of sustainability as modernization, transformation, and control:
a conceptual framework. Sustain Sci 14(4):1015–1025
Alexander S (2012) Planned economic contraction: the emerging case for degrowth. Environ Politics
21(3):349–368
Andersen AS, Kjeldsen TH (2015) Theoretical foundations of PPL at Roskilde university. In:
Andersen AS, Heilesen SB (eds) The Roskilde Model: problem-oriented learning and project
work. Springer, Cham, pp 3–16
Avery H, Nordén B (2017) Working with the divides: two critical axes in development for
transformative professional practices. Int J Sustain High Educ 18(5):666–680
Acosta A (2013) Extractivism and neoextractivism: two sides of the same curse. In: Lang M,
Mokrani M (eds) Beyond development: alternative visions from Latin America. Transnational
Inst., pp 61–86
Baker-Shelley A, van Zeijl-Rozema A, Martens P (2017) A conceptual synthesis of organisational
transformation: how to diagnose, and navigate, pathways for sustainability at universities? J Clean
Prod 145:262–276
Berkes F (2007) Understanding uncertainty and reducing vulnerability: lessons from resilience
thinking. Nat Hazards 41(2):283–295
Beynaghi A, Trencher G, Moztarzadeh F, Mozafari M, Maknoon R, Leal Filho W (2016) Future
sustainability scenarios for universities: moving beyond the United Nations decade of education
for sustainable development. J Clean Prod 112(4):3464–3478
Chan W (2004) International cooperation in higher education: theory and practice. J Stud Int Educ
8(1):32–55
Cooke RA (1987) The organizational culture inventory. Human Synergistics, Plymouth
Fiksel J (2006) Sustainability and resilience: toward a systems approach. Sustain Sci Prac Policy
2(2):14–21