Universiteit Utrecht
A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At
Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major
strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability.
Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.
Utrecht University’s
Faculty of Geosciences studies the Earth: from the Earth’s core to its surface, including man’s spatial and material utilisation of the Earth – always with a focus on sustainability and innovation. With 3,400 students (BSc and MSc) and 720 staff, the faculty is a strong and challenging organisation. The Faculty of Geosciences is organised in four Departments: Earth Sciences, Human Geography & Spatial Planning, Physical Geography, and Sustainable Development.
The
Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development is a vibrant international research community that aims to help accelerate the transition to a sustainable society. We do this by developing excellent and relevant knowledge, collaborating with citizens, politicians, policymakers, NGOs and firms to learn from each other and influence decision-making, and by educating the change agents of the future.
Formally, we are organised as one of four departments of the faculty of Geosciences. We occupy a unique position as an interdisciplinary natural/social sciences department. While we are the only department at Utrecht University that solely focuses on sustainability research, it is a key topic for Utrecht University in general. Notably, the
Strategic Theme Pathways to Sustainability strengthens our collaboration with many other groups across the university. We also actively contribute to
Institutions for Open Societies, bringing in our research on the role of institutions and institutional change in understanding transformations to sustainable development.
With its research programme around sustainable innovation & business models, HZ University of Applied Sciences'
Kenniscentrum Ondernemen en Innoveren (Entrepreneurship and Innovation Knowledge Centre; KCOI) is fully committed to accelerate the transition to a future-proof Zeeuwse Delta. In a future-proof delta well-being for now and later is paramount and companies are key actors realizing the transitions needed. KCOI investigates how companies, together with all other players in the (regional) ecosystem, can bundle and deploy their innovative power and entrepreneurial practice for socially relevant production and consumption. KCOI works closely together with front-running companies and research institutes and uses qualitative and participatory research to achieve insights that are both state of the art and practice-oriented. Research areas are protein transition, materials transition, sustainable tourism and mobility and fresh water. The KCOI teams consists of 6 full-team researchers and who work closely together with other researchers within the HZ.