ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we critically investigate the role played by universities in regional green transitions (RGTS) in a broader social context. We utilise classic views of key stakeholders involved in coordinating higher education affairs in our analysis of universities’ roles in RGTS. Empirically, we build on insights emanating from a recent, international comparative project shedding light on the role of universities in climate change alongside three original case studies undertaken in the context of the chapter. The overall message is that the system is a complex one and universities are one among many stakeholders. We conclude that universities play an important supportive or developmental role rather than a generative one (as the main engine), mediated by the need to balance a wide variety of institutional logics and demands emanating from a multiplicity of internal and external stakeholder groups. The chapter contributes to ongoing scholarly and policy discussions regarding the importance of science/knowledge to RGTS and how such developments are likely to impact and be impacted by existing/future governance arrangements.
