Research Objectives

The focus will be on City-University partnerships within Urban Climate Collab is due to the central relevance of the urban sphere in responding to climate change. In 2021, EU Mission: Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities was launched, with 112 European cities, including Cork, selected to participate in achieving climate neutrality by 2030. Both universities and local authorities are recognised as agents of transformational change, yet “how” local authorities and universities collaborate effectively to achieve urgent action-orientated interventions is lacking within the literature. Globally, urban transformative capacity is recognised as lacking and must be improved through planning and research policy with the need for the implementation of city based TdR which is scientifically credible, socially inclusive, and orientated toward impact.  

Research Objectives

To evaluate established City-University transdisciplinary partnerships for climate action and sustainability.	To explore methods to support systematic approaches to city-university transdisciplinary partnership for climate action and sustainability.	Identify how successful examples of City-University Partnerships and bottom-up urban climate action can inform national policy.
Urban Climate Collab will implement a mixed-method approach, to develop an international baseline evaluation of collaborations between cities and universities for climate action. - Literature Review of City-University Partnerships for climate action internationally - Qualitative Survey of active City-University Partnerships for climate action - x 2 UNIC CityLab Workshops	In asking ‘what methods best initiate and support the continued development of urban TdR partnerships for climate action?’, a compilation of different methods for engaged, transdisciplinarity will be developed - Workshop with City Council on broad range of transdisciplinary, engaged research methods. - x 3 implementation of transdisciplinary, engaged research method with multi-stakeholder participation. - Reflective workshop with City Council collaborators evaluating implementation of methods. - Evaluation surveys administered to participants.	The literature review of examples of impact generated by City-University Partnerships for climate action developed (RO1) will be compiled into a database and analysed to inform policy for small scale impact projects - Supplementary interviews with practitioners associated with good practice examples (RO1).  - Analysis of case studies using the small-wins evaluation framework.  -Quarterly Interdisciplinary Working Group meetings.

To evaluate established City-University transdisciplinary partnerships for climate action and sustainability.

To explore methods to support systematic approaches to city-university transdisciplinary partnership for climate action and sustainability.

Identify how successful examples of City-University Partnerships and bottom-up urban climate action can inform national policy.

Urban Climate Collab will implement a mixed-method approach, to develop an international baseline evaluation of collaborations between cities and universities for climate action.

- Literature Review of City-University Partnerships for climate action internationally

- Qualitative Survey of active City-University Partnerships for climate action

- x 2 UNIC CityLab Workshops

In asking ‘what methods best initiate and support the continued development of urban TdR partnerships for climate action?’, a compilation of different methods for engaged, transdisciplinarity will be developed

- Workshop with City Council on broad range of transdisciplinary, engaged research methods.

- x 3 implementation of transdisciplinary, engaged research method with multi-stakeholder participation.

- Reflective workshop with City Council collaborators evaluating implementation of methods.

- Evaluation surveys administered to participants.

The literature review of examples of impact generated by City-University Partnerships for climate action developed (RO1) will be compiled into a database and analysed to inform policy for small scale impact projects

- Supplementary interviews with practitioners associated with good practice examples (RO1). 

- Analysis of case studies using the small-wins evaluation framework. 

-Quarterly Interdisciplinary Working Group meetings.