Maastricht Sustainability Institute
With the integration of the Maastricht Sustainability Institute (formerly known as ICIS), within the School of Business and Economics (SBE), not only a new name has been chosen, but also an active contribution to SBE’s 'Vision 2025' is foreseen in which Sustainable Development, Digitisation, and Globalisation are focal areas.
As sustainability scientists, the Institute aims to support sustainable development at the local and regional levels, thus contributing to global sustainability too. Because sustainability challenges are complex and normative, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches are preferred collaboration with different disciplines and stakeholders. MSI masters a diversity of theories and methods to work at the interface of science, policy and society.
Objectives
- conduct research and provide education in the fields of integrated assessment and sustainable development
- stimulate integration in sustainable thinking and acting on different social levels by research, education and policy
Main activities
- Integrative studies involve analysis of the causes, effects and the mutual interlinkages between economic, environmental, institutional and socio-cultural processes associated with a specific environment or complex issue (e.g. tourism, health, water, mobility).
- Participatory processes involving stakeholders usually form the basis for the development of visions and long-term strategies.
Results
MSI has become a scientific ‘centre of excellence’ related to the integrated assessment of sustainable development.
Innovative aspects
"We have a vision of a world where individuals can make the most of their potential, where poverty no longer exists, and where people respect each other and nature. This vision is a goal we strive for day after day in our work as teachers, scientists and managers."