ABSTRACT
Universities are increasingly engaged in addressing complex societal challenges. Conceptually, faculty roles have evolved from detached, neutral observers (Mode 1) to more engaged, change-oriented actors (Mode 2), and, more recently, to a Mode 3, which operates across micro, meso, and macro levels. Universities are also subject to coercive, mimetic and normative pressures to contribute to positive societal change. Some argue that universities should not merely participate but also take a leading role in addressing complex challenges such as green transitions, with non-metropolitan universities often expected to take an active role in regional initiatives. Despite the shared desire to do good, a range of central questions arise, which we address through the following research question: To what extent do isomorphic pressures on universities shape their role in regional green transitions, and how can a critical-reflexive social science perspective help universities move beyond these pressures in their engagement with green transitions? Addressing this question from a critical-reflexive stance involves recognising the possibilities, pitfalls and trade-offs related to green transitions within specific contexts. Three cases are used to contextualise the arguments: a Triple Helix Partnership on Sustainable Development, a project on Carbon Capture, Use and Storage, and a Green Societies research hub.
