Halmstad University establishes new research programme to meet sustainability challenges
The University is establishing a new research programme within the focus area Smart Cities and Communities. The ProActS (Promoting resource efficiency, co-creative Actions, and Innovation for Sustainable transition) programme addresses societal challenges related to circularity and sustainability.
“We take a broad, multidisciplinary approach to sustainability issues, and the idea is that the programme’s research will benefit the students through an increased focus on resource efficiency and circularity.”
Pia Ulvenblad, Docent and Research Programme Manager
Agenda 2023 and UN’s goals for sustainable development.
The research programme brings together researchers in business administration, energy engineering, environmental science, humanities, information technology, innovation sciences and social sciences from all of the University's faculties to work with actors outside academia to tackle challenges regarding, for example, energy, water, food and climate change.
Research as a response to societal challenges
The research programme takes a broad approach to sustainability and the research includes environmental, social and economic sustainability.
“We are facing major societal challenges in terms of climate and resource management. To meet these challenges, researchers from different academic fields must come together to develop solutions,” says Pia Ulvenblad, Docent of Business Administration and Research Programme Manager, and continues:
“The research programme aims to explore and solve societal problems related to using resources in a circular way, while at the same time creating new opportunities and digital solutions to control these processes. To understand and address the challenges of circular resource use and sustainability, we need to work multidisciplinary and combine different research areas, knowledge and skills in areas related to the environment, society and the economy.”
The research within ProActS is carried out in close collaboration with the surrounding society, both the public sector, non-governmental organisations and industry. The programme also aims to develop the University's education.
“We take a broad, multidisciplinary approach to sustainability issues, and the idea is that the programme’s research will benefit the students through an increased focus on resource efficiency and circularity,” says Pia Ulvenblad.
“ProActS takes a multidisciplinary approach to important sustainability issues. I think it is very positive that the University now has a long-term research programme where researchers from different scientific disciplines and subjects come together to take on one of the greatest challenges of our time,” says the University’s Vice-Chancellor Susanna Öhman.
The research programme is part of the University's investment in multidisciplinary research programmes to strengthen the University's profile. The decision to establish the programme has been made by the Vice-Chancellor, following a recommendation from the University’s Research and Education Board.
Text: Christa Amnell
Translation: Linnéa Andersson
Picture: Dan Bergmark
