Building actor-centric transformative capacity through city-university partnerships

Area of Science:

• Urban Sustainability
• Socio-technical Transformations
• Environmental Policy

Background:

• Cities face increasing pressure for large-scale sustainable development.
• Urban sustainability challenges are often linked to a deficit in individual and organizational capacity for socio-technical change.
• Existing literature needs further development on the concept of actor-centric transformative capacity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the concept of actor-centric transformative capacity in the context of urban sustainability.
• To examine the role of city-university partnerships (CUPs) in fostering this capacity.
• To identify strategies for building effective CUPs that enhance urban sustainability.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on transformative capacity.
• Case study analysis of two city-university partnerships in Portland, Oregon, and Tempe, Arizona.
• Identification of determinants of actor-centric transformative capacity within these partnerships.

Main Results:

• CUPs are identified as key catalysts for urban sustainability transformations.
• Determinants of actor-centric transformative capacity were identified through case studies.
• The study highlights how CUPs build transformative capacity among city administrators and university actors.

Conclusions:

• Actor-centric transformative capacity is vital for achieving urban sustainability goals.
• Effective CUPs are essential for developing this capacity.
• Strategies for strengthening CUPs can accelerate socio-technical transformations for sustainability.