Thesis cluster for sustainable transition - about the initiative

What is a thesis cluster?

A Thesis Cluster brings together a group of master's students from different disciplines and study programmes at University West, Chalmers University of Technology, and the University of Gothenburg, all of whom are writing a 30-credit master's thesis. The students are connected through a shared sustainability challenge while conducting independent thesis projects within their respective programmes.

The challenges are developed in dialogue with external societal stakeholders in Western Sweden and reflect issues that are difficult to address from a single perspective. By approaching the same challenge through multiple theses, using different theories, methods, and analytical approaches, a richer and more comprehensive understanding can emerge.

Why thesis clusters?

Sustainable transformation involves complex societal challenges that can rarely be understood or addressed from a single perspective. By bringing together students from different disciplines around a shared challenge, Wexsus creates a structure where diverse approaches, methods, and perspectives can interact and complement one another.

The Thesis Clusters contribute to:

• deeper knowledge of priority sustainability challenges
• stronger collaboration between academia and society
• enhanced systems understanding among future professionals

How it works in practice

A Thesis Cluster consists of several master's theses that address the same overarching sustainability challenge from different academic perspectives and disciplinary backgrounds.

Each student carries out their thesis project within their own programme, with an individual research question and supervisor, while also participating in a shared process together with other students and societal stakeholders.

Through recurring meetings and collaborative activities, students are given opportunities to exchange knowledge, challenge one another's perspectives, and develop a deeper understanding of the common challenge.

In this way, the theses form a knowledge cluster in which the individual projects complement one another and collectively provide a broader, more systems-oriented perspective than any single thesis could offer on its own.

Societal stakeholders contribute experience, needs, and practical perspectives, strengthening the connection between academic knowledge development and society's efforts toward sustainable transformation.

The cluster concludes with a joint presentation where students share their findings and explore how the different projects relate to one another, creating opportunities for learning and new insights for both students and participating stakeholders.

Sustainability challenges

The themes selected for the Thesis Clusters reflect areas where societal stakeholders are seeking additional knowledge, methods, and deeper understanding to support ongoing sustainability transformation efforts.

The selected themes:

• have a clear focus on Western Sweden
• encompass organisational, technical, cultural, and policy-related dimensions
• are cross-sectoral and require collaboration among municipalities, businesses, civil society organisations, academia, and citizens

The themes should not be viewed as predefined research questions, but rather as open challenges. Based on the theme descriptions, each student develops their own thesis project, including its purpose, research questions, and scope, in dialogue with their academic supervisor.

The role of Wexsus

Wexsus is responsible for creating favourable conditions for collaboration between students, academia, and societal stakeholders. This includes initiating and coordinating the overall process, facilitating meetings, and acting as a bridge between different actors and fields of knowledge.

Throughout the project, Wexsus organises both in-person and online sessions where students:

• meet one another and the participating societal stakeholders
• critically explore and discuss the shared sustainability challenge
• test tools and methods that deepen their understanding of sustainable development
• exchange knowledge and perspectives across disciplinary and sectoral boundaries
   

What this means for you!