https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/XM_0144The course aims to pursue the following learning objectives: to acquire knowledge on (the need for) system innovations and sustainable transitions;to understand and apply state-of-the-art theories and insights on understanding and governing sustainable transitions;to understand the roles of transdisciplinary research to study transitions;to assess and reflect upon wider political challenges in system innovation and sustainable transitions;to design and execute a collaborative research project on an empirical transition case;to acquire and practice skills to collect and analyze data (such as in-depth, semi-structured interviews);to evaluate and translate research findings into (policy) recommendations to support sustainable transitions.There is an urgent need to tackle a number of interlinked and persistent societal challenges, such as the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and socio-economic inequalities. Addressing such challenges requires system innovations and sustainable transitions in different societal domains (energy, health, food). Sustainability transitions are complex and large-scale processes of long-term societal change and they involve changes in all aspects of society, such as technology, policy, markets and socio-cultural values. Crucial in the acceleration of sustainability transitions is the upscaling of innovations that can help address societal challenges. However, because of their complex nature, transition processes are very difficult to ‘steer’ or ‘manage’. But how then do we make sure that we can accelerate sustainable transformation in light of urgent crises? How can we scale-up those system innovations that have broad societal support? And how can we make sure that these transitions are not only environmentally sustainable, but also lead to socially just and democratic futures across the globe? In this course, you will learn about system innovation and sustainable transitions. You will learn about state-of-the-art insights on both understanding and steering transition processes. Based on literature and insights from ongoing transitions in e.g., food, energy, and health systems you will learn about the barriers to sustainable transformation, as well as strategies and opportunities for upscaling of innovations. Bringing transitions into practice requires transdisciplinary collaboration between actors from science and society (policy makers, innovators, NGOs). Therefore, you will learn about transdisciplinary research methods and initiatives (transition experiments, Living Labs) that try to both understand and accelerate transitions. To bring your knowledge into practice, you will design and execute a collaborative research project together with other students in an interdisciplinary group. In this project you will analyze an empirical case of a transition process, you will acquire different skills and tools to use in analyzing transitions.In order to achieve the learning objectives, several teaching methods are used including interactive seminars, project meetings and self-study. Please note that presence during the seminars and project meetings is mandatory.The course grade is based on an oral exam (mid-term, individual grade) and the project (end of the course, report and presentation, group grade). All of the following need to be concluded with the grade of 5.5 or higher to pass the course. Oral exam (40%)Team project report (40%)Team project presentation (20%)Articles and book chapters are made available via Canvas.This course is open to Master students with an interest in system innovations and sustainability transitions. It is an elective course for students following the Master Science, Business and Innovation at the Faculty of Exact Sciences, VU Amsterdam.More information will be made available through Canvas.