This course provides PhD candidates with exciting concepts and methods to enhance the potential of their research to beneficially contribute to society and the environment.
Participants are guided through a process designed to surface and examine fundamental assumptions that underpin their research approaches to inspire future trajectories both within and beyond their PhD.
This course is taught by a range of scholars in Utrecht University (UU), University of Twente (UT), Wageningen University & Research (WUR), and Stockholm Resilience Centre (SRC), who will guide students through critical concepts, methodological innovations, and tricky dilemmas that have challenged and enabled their own work. The course content focuses on four main aspects of transformative research identified in the 71 Visions Report. This course has run three times before and received an Education Innovation Award in 2021. It is supported by Utrecht Summer School, WIMEK, EWUU Alliance, and Urban Futures Studio, Utrecht University.
The introduction to the course is split across two half-days to explore: what is “transformative research", and what roles does it entail? This will be followed by four full-day trainings and one final day of harvesting collective insights. The course involves the following main components:
All who are enrolled as a PhD candidate (at any university) at the time of this course are welcome to apply.
The course takes place full time during 2 weeks, 12 – 23 May 2025
The fee also covers an opening drinks reception and 1 course dinner. The course fee does not include travel, accommodation and all other meals. We will share details on affordable accommodation.
PhD candidates registered from Utrecht University, Wageningen University, University of Twente, Eindhoven University of Technology, University Medical Center Utrecht, and Stockholm Resilience Center are eligible for a reduced course fee of 430 euros.
We are pleased to offer two partial scholarships to support the participation of PhD candidates from institutions based in the Global South. These scholarships will cover accommodation and the course fee. Travel and meals are not covered by the scholarship. If you want to apply for this scholarship, you can indicate this on the registration form. You will be informed in November 2024 if you are selected for this scholarship.
Registrations are due by 7 November 2024.
Note that we are aiming for a diverse group of PhD candidates and have a maximum of 34 participants; hence, places for the course will be decided based on the motivation of the PhD candidate when registering, and a good balance in disciplinary backgrounds. We will select participants based on 1) the diversity of interested PhD candidates, such as in terms of scientific background, research focus, and institute and 2) on the answers to the following questions in the registration form:
1. Why do you want to take this specific course? And why now? (max 250 words)
2. What does 'transformative research' mean to you? (max 250 words)
Please fill in this form for your application to be considered: https://www.formdesk.com/wageningenuralterra/Registration_Transformative_Research_for_Sustainability_2025
And then afterwards click 'Apply for course' on this page to complete the process. You will not need to pay the fee until after accepted.
We will contact you on the outcome of the selection procedure by late November 2024. Please note that after being selected for the course, your registration becomes final, which means that payment of the course fee via our online payment tool will be required and the cancellation policy will apply.
Fees are due within four weeks after you have been informed about being selected.