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- Almered Olsson, Gunilla, 1951, et al.
(author)
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City–Region Food Systems: Scenarios to re-establish urban-rural links through sustainable food provisioning
- 2018
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In: Tomorrow’s Food Travel (TFT) conference, Centre for Tourism – University of Gothenburg, 8–10 October 2018, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- City–Region Food Systems (CRFS) is a cutting-edge concept and an emerging field of research. As a new analytical lens, it offers an integrated and multi-dimensional perspective on food’s origins, how it is grown and the path it follows to our plates and beyond. Building on this concept, this presentation reflects a prospective research project which seeks to explore opportunities for innovative and sustainable food systems in the Gothenburg region of Sweden by focusing on how rural and urban regions, food production and market can be integrated to promote regional food security. The project intends to: 1) develop scenarios with stakeholders for local food production in the region; 2) analyze the consequences of the scenarios on landscape change and biodiversity; 3) explore socio-economic consequences for producers and local communities; and 4) evaluate the sustainability and feasibility of scenarios with stakeholders. Five municipalities in Western Sweden (Gothenburg, Kungälv, Lerum, Alingsås and Essunga) will serve as study areas for the project, selected to reflect different kinds of potential for local food production in terms of dissimilar environmental conditions, prerequisites for farming and economic histories. The project responds to expressed interests and knowledge needs in the region and will be developed and implemented in direct cooperation with local and regional actors such as Västarvet, the Västra Götaland Region, the municipalities and various producer organizations. In sum, there are premises suggesting that recent urban food strategies and plans with sustainability ambitions are embracing several Sustainable Development Goals in the environmental, social, economic, and equity dimensions. This, in turn, is a characteristic of the Transition Movements pathway, in which the utility of food strategies in the work with sustainability transitions seems inevitable. The results are therefore likely to be transferable to other regions.
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| 3. |
- Rinaldi, Chiara, 1981, et al.
(author)
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Co-creation methodologies for students’ employability in the food sector: some evidence from the FOODbiz project
- 2018
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In: 27th Nordic Symposium on Tourism and Hospitality Research, Alta, Norway, 24-26 September.
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Transitions towards more sustainable food and tourism systems appear to require the integration of fragmented knowledge borne by different actors (Miller et al. 2014). The triple helix partnership model (Etzkowits & Leydesdorff, 2000) entailing cooperation among universities, businesses and policymakers is being expanded first to quadruple helix by involving civil society, and then to quintuple helix, which frames knowledge and innovation in the context of the environment (natural environments) (Carayannis & Campbell 2010) and focuses on “socio-ecological transition”. While food tourism strategies appear to have great potential to support regional development (Hall, 2005), implementation faces major problems due to difficulties in conducting dialogue among heterogeneous stakeholders with different sets of values, interests and resources. Actors may lack training and business planning skills, or have limited time, finances, personnel, and experience of food producers and local touristic players (Verbole 2003; Saxena et al. 2007). Voices have also been raised regarding a mismatch between graduates in related subjects and the needs of the (food) tourism sector (Watson, 2008). Within this context, the role of higher education students as key mediators between research, business, and local development appears particularly relevant: they represent the educated workforce of the future, and to be employable and active contributors of economy, they should acquire skills that are relevant to the labour market. The purpose of this paper is to explore co-creational methodologies with students as key partners in the development of nature-based experiences centered on food. The paper presents the Erasmus + project “University and business learning for new employability paths in food and gastronomy – FOODbiz”, which applies different co-creational methodologies aimed at increasing students’ employability skills in the food and tourism sectors, and discusses implications. Within the project, students, academics and businesses in each target country define main challenges and learning needs in each local context. Then, tailor-made learning materials are provided accordingly to fill the knowledge and innovation gap and to support relations, common understanding, and exchange between students, business players and other stakeholders. Ultimately, this should improve skills in present and future workforce of the food sector, and support job creation.
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| 4. |
- Rinaldi, Chiara, 1981, et al.
(author)
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Universities and Smart Specialisation Strategy: From third mission to sustainable development co-creation
- 2018
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In: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. - 1467-6370. ; 19:1, s. 67-84
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: The paper analyses the emerging role of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) universities in contemporary society via third- and fourth-mission activities. In particular, the paper investigates the potential contributions that SSH universities can offer in developing and enhancing capacities, supporting the changing conception of innovation coherently through a Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3) approach. Design/methodology/approach: The case study presents multiple third- and fourth-mission activities carried out by the University of Macerata (Italy). The activities are framed according to the roles universities could have in supporting S3. Findings: Within third- and fourth-mission activities, SSH universities can play different and broader roles (generative, absorptive, collaborative and leadership), which could support regions in designing and implementing S3. Practical implications: The paper shows the important contributions that SSH universities can make in their regions, both to support S3 and enhance the transition to sustainable development. Social implications: The article emphasises SSH universities’ multiple contributions to sustainable development and to innovation in the knowledge society/economy framework. Originality/value: This case study captures SSH universities’ contributions to S3 and the wider innovation paradigm, by highlighting their transformational effect on regional economies.
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