Research and education for desired transitions: a plot twist? A keynote by Der Loorbach at University:Future Festival 2024.
Economic and societal progress is powered by research and education. Academia informs policy and practice and educates the professionals that manage society. But we are facing existential crises: biodiversity loss and climate change, overconsumption, growing inequalities, decreasing access to health care, rise of populism and resistance and escalating geopolitical conflicts. Could it be that academia itself is the villain in this? Could it be that the way we research and educate is helping to cause these multiple crises? This is the story of how established structures and cultures that have worked so well in the past have now become barriers against real progress. But it is also the story of how heroes within and outside academia are paving the way and transforming academia. By critically reflecting on their own ‘regime, by engaging with social innovation, and collaboratively exploring and researching ecologically and socially desired futures. In doing so they break away from an individualistic, positivistic, linear knowledge system to one that is organic, normative and explorative. Slowly this movement is gaining speed and helping to build momentum in society and seize the transition moment. How this transition tale will end is ultimately up to us, but this presentation will provide the storyline, the transition theory and the practical tools and examples that will help you to write your own ending by doing it.
Derk Loorbach is director of DRIFT and Professor of Socio-economic Transitions at the Faculty of Social Science, both at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Derk is one of the founders of the transition management approach as new form of governance for sustainable development. He has over one hundred publications in this area and has been involved as an action researcher in numerous transition processes with government, business, civil society and science. He is a frequently invited keynote speaker in and outside Europe. In his spare time, you can find Derk on bass, on Twitter, or spending time with his family.
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Under the motto “Tales of Tomorrow“ the fourth edition of the University:Future Festival (U:FF) took place from 5 to 7 June. The U:FF is the largest event on the (digital) future of academic education. Topics include AI, future skills, didactics and strategy processes.
The U:FF 2024 was hybrid: the entire content of the programme could be fully experienced online. At the same time, stages in Berlin, Bochum, Heilbronn, Leipzig and Nuremberg allowed for on-site encounters. The programme was largely based on submissions from our communities. It was rounded off by outstanding VIP speakers. The festival was held bilingually in German and English.
Visitors enjoyed a varied and inspiring programme with over 300 contributions from more than 600 speakers!
The University:Future Festival 2024 was organised by the Hochschulforum Digitalisierung and the Stiftung Innovation in der Hochschullehre. It was supported by the Stifterverband. More info: festival.hfd.digital/en/