Thesis Cluster for Sustainable Transition

Our offer to societal actors and master's students

Wexsus matches students from various disciplines and programmes at our three participating universities into mixed groups, which we call thesis clusters. Each cluster tackles a complex sustainability challenge on behalf of one or more external societal actors.

Wexsus acts as a link between community actors and students, both by practically managing the process and by creating favorable conditions for constructive exchange. Each student writes their own thesis in their own course, defines their own research question, and has their own supervisor affiliated with their course. 

During the project, Wexsus organizes a couple of physical and digital meetings where students can meet each other and the case owners. During these meetings they will get the chance to problematize the challenges, test tools that deepen the understanding of sustainable development, and exchange knowledge and perspectives. Course leaders and thesis supervisors are also welcome at our physical meetings. 

The project culminates in a joint final event where all students get to present their results. 

For you as a case owner

Participating in a thesis cluster means:

• Networking and contacts: Throughout the process, you will establish new connections with students from various disciplines, including some from fields with which you might rarely or never have interacted before. The exchange will occur in a structured manner through planned meetings and more spontaneously in cases where your organization serves as the students' study object.
• Unique knowledge and new resources: The outcome compiled at the end of the process will be a unique source of knowledge, partly because the multidisciplinary perspectives provided by participating students and partly because it is grounded in your current challenges.
• Enhancement and development of your organization's sustainability thinking: The process will require an investment from you, that may be challenging as it demands you to open up to new perspectives. The main benefit, of course, is that you can strengthen your own as well as your organization's sustainability thinking.

For you as a master's student

Participating in a thesis cluster means:

• Network and contacts: By participating in a thesis cluster, you connect with other students who share your interest in complex societal challenges and with external case owners who can become valuable for your future career. 
• Recognition and potential publication: You will have the opportunity to present your work’s results to all participants. Depending on the scope and format of the results Wexsus will also assist in compiling a summary of all theses, which will be published through our channels as time allows. 
• Strengthened system understanding and collaboration skills: Successfully working in the sustainability field requires deep knowledge in your area of expertise, as well as the ability to collaborate with actors from other fields. This can be further sharpened by understanding complex issues and relationships outside your expertise. The thesis cluster adds an extra layer to your thesis work, with the potential to hone and develop these skills.