We want to address Europe's complex challenges by developing new approaches to solving wicked problems. Our objective is to create a model and tool that enhances transnational capacities to address these issues using bottom-up social-planning processes. Specifically, we aimed to achieve the following: - Develop and evaluate a model for transnational inter-organizational cooperation in solving wicked problems. - Introduce a tool that will enable inclusive bottom-up social-planning processes. - Conduct a pilot evaluation on air pollution as an example of a wicked problem. - Establish a platform for addressing such challenges
We applied for this project to address the critical challenge of tackling "wicked problems," complex issues such as climate change, health, and poverty that are difficult to define and solve. These problems require innovative, interdisciplinary, and transnational approaches, as emphasized by the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our project focuses on building capacities in higher education institutions (HEIs) to address these challenges through a holistic, bottom-up approach. There was and there still is a clear need for tools and structures that enable cross-disciplinary and international collaboration to create solutions that are tailored to different economic, political, and social contexts. The EU’s prioritization of SDG13, climate action, highlights the urgency of this work. The persistency of the air-pollution demonstrates that there was a need for this project.