Swedish funding agency Formas will provide funding worth of 39 MSEK for a new graduate school focusing on the management of a just climate transition. The graduate school, named “Just Transitions”, aims to fill the knowledge gap, and build competence around the concept and how it is realized in practice, and positions are already open for applications.
Formas, the Swedish government research council for sustainable development, has decided on 39 million Swedish crowns over a five year period to the new graduate school led by The University of Linköping LiU. Other parties in the collaboration are Chalmers University of technology, the City of Gothenburg, The University of Gothenburg, The Municipality of Linköping, the County Administrative Board of Östergötland, and VGR together with Urban Futures.
- It is extremely gratifying that we have received funding for this graduate school, with all of its expected outcomes, from building of networks, to the training of spearhead researchers and over to direct participation and contribution to the transition, says Stefan Holmlid, LiU, who will be the leader of the graduate school.
The starting point of the graduate school is the lack of knowledge and competence on what a just climate transition actually is, and how a transition can be enabled in practice. As an example, knowledge about how public organisations can build ability to lead and organize for the changes that must come.
Seven PhD projetcs
In the graduate school knowledge and competence will be built, partly by the seven PhD student projects integrated in the governmental organisations, and partly by the establishment of a Swedish platform for knowledge exchange on just climate transitions.
For Chalmers and the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering’s part, the funding has resulted in an open position as PhD in Critical urban studies with focus on justice and climate. The position, which is open for applications until March 10 2023, will be placed in the Division of Urban Design and Planning.
- This means an opportunity to raise questions about the socio-spatial dimensions of climate change, and in the longer run to shed light on how the city of Gothenburg achieves its goal of becoming an equal city , says Kristina Grange, Professor in Urban Planning and Design Theory, who’s been involved in the application process on the Departments’ and on Chalmers behalf.
Several of the other projects are also currently open for applications , and the rest of them will come out later in spring.
In connection, a Swedish national platform for just climate transition will be started and run by Urban Futures.
More about the graduate school on the University of Linköping web
Contact:
- Full Professor, Urban Design and Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering