UAL Climate Systems Mapping: Report on the pilot research project

‘UAL Climate Systems Mapping’ is pilot research project conducted by researchers and team members employed at UAL supported by the Social Purpose Lab. An institutional driver for the project is the commitment to net-zero emissions across scope 1, 2 and 3 by 2040 and scope 1 and 2 by 2030 in UAL’s Climate Action Plan (UAL, 2022) and UAL’s Strategy 2022-32 (UAL, 2022). Beyond science-based targets, UAL’s social purpose and anti-racism strategies motivate a ‘climate- justice’ framing for this pilot research project.
ISBN 978-1-906908-86-7

UAL – like all HEIs and organisations – will be challenged to meet the targets. Our creative capabilities, collective spirit, track-record and momentum at UAL are some of our greatest assets moving ahead. With this project and report, we aim to provide a realistic and systematic overview of where we’re at, to illuminate the diversity, amount and momentum of positive actions and momentum, at as well as to illuminate clear pathways and actions toward an ecologically regenerative university. Our aim is to brief, inspire and equip UAL leaders, colleagues and our community to act collaboratively, collectively and systematically across colleges and levels.

The report presents five sets of findings toward two research questions: ‘What is…?’, e.g. UAL’s contribution to extraction and regeneration, and; ‘What if…?’, e.g. how might we transition to a regenerative future UAL. The report also includes a number of key insights and proposals for future work resulting from the year-long research project.

This research has explored uncharted territory through a research premise of ‘insider knowledge’, by which we mean research grounded in a variety of participant perceptions, experiences, expertise and co-creation activities and, further, we researchers are part of the university community. The primary research approach is grounded in participatory action research (PAR) and research through design (RtD) including, more specifically, ‘design for transitions’ tools. PAR and RtD have substantively engaged students and staff across all campus sites, including experts in higher education and in climate, and selected departments (to date, Research Management Administration, Library Services and Student Marketing Recruitment Administration). The theoretical approach – grounded in complex systems, social practice and transitions theories - enables complex mapping of UAL’s interconnected systems. Resulting insights offer ‘insider’ (e.g. adapted and practicable) knowledge into our two research questions, including ‘what if’ in terms of creative, pragmatic imagining of a regenerative university.

Cite as:
Wallace, N., Mazé, R., Williams, D., Landin, D., Tuft, N., and Ng, N. (2024) UAL Climate Systems Mapping: Report on the pilot research project. University of the Arts London.
ISBN 978-1-906908-85-0