“We cannot solve 21st-century climate crises with 18th-century thinking,” says Professor Arvind Keprate, academic lead for the strategic initiative.
“The strategic initiative on the green transition is vital because it can provide the seed funding and cross-disciplinary meeting arenas we need to map a systemic socio-technical shift.”
Keprate points out that time for action is short:
“This initiative can help enable us to design a transition that is ecologically sustainable, socially just, democratic and effective, before the window for meaningful action closes.”
What do we mean by the green transition?
Keprate believes the term is often misunderstood as a simple technological swap, such as replacing fossil energy with renewables.
“In reality, the green transition is a much deeper, systemic socio-economic transformation,” he says.
“When we talk about the green transition, we mean a deliberate decoupling of human development from environmental degradation. That requires a fundamental reconfiguration of production, consumption and governance to operate within planetary boundaries.
“We must move beyond linear, extractive systems and build a robust, decarbonised circular economy, with ‘planet first’ as the guiding principle.”
OsloMet’s strength: technology, welfare and governance working together
“The green transition is too complex for any single discipline to solve alone. Our greatest strength at OsloMet is an institutional setup that enables genuine cross-disciplinary collaboration across faculties and specialised centres,” says Keprate.
“We are strong in technical fields, but the combination with welfare, education and public administration allows us to understand the human dimensions and ensure the transition is socially just and democratically governed.”
Cross-disciplinary collaboration on plans and measures
The ambition is to build a cohesive research community and dismantle academic silos.
“I want to bring OsloMet’s breadth together in shared thematic clusters. That is why we are using a system of seed funding that allows cross-disciplinary teams to test new ideas and build critical collaboration networks,” says Keprate.
The initiative is intended to be a launchpad for greater ambitions:
“The goal is to scale the best initiatives into competitive applications for Horizon Europe and the Research Council of Norway. At the same time, we will strengthen our societal impact through annual meeting places such as OsloMet’s ‘Green Transition Day,’ where researchers, public authorities and industry can co-create solutions.”
He is clear that people come before project titles:
“Real impact comes from people, not just from projects. We will build community through mentoring schemes for early-career researchers and accessible forums that foster creativity and momentum.”
Radically inclusive
“To succeed, the initiative must be radically inclusive and connect academia with society,” says Keprate.
Internally, the priority is collaboration across faculties and research centres, with a particular invitation to early-career researchers, doctoral candidates and students.
“Externally, we must bring in municipalities, industry, public agencies and voluntary organisations. Our research results must respond to real knowledge needs in practice.”
Why do you want to lead the initiative?
“The core focus of the initiative – addressing the climate crisis, transforming production systems and enabling environmentally responsible societal development – matches my academic background and personal drive,” says Keprate.
“I know what it takes to build cross-disciplinary environments from the ground up. Now I want to use that experience to empower our researchers to turn ideas into concrete solutions, and to position OsloMet as a leading actor in Norway’s green transition.”
Seed funding and Green Transition Day
In the startup phase, the initiative is prioritising two clear measures:
“We are now announcing the outcomes of the seed funding. We will soon distribute NOK 8 million to support the best and most innovative research ideas across the university,” says Keprate.
The next step is an open forum, which will be held this autumn:
“On 15 October, we are organising OsloMet’s ‘Green Transition Day.’ This will be a key arena for breaking down academic silos and connecting our researchers with external partners for knowledge sharing and co-creation.”
In parallel, they are preparing larger efforts:
“We are planning support for applications targeting national centres such as FME Samfunn and major EU projects. Here we will build application expertise and infrastructure that make cross-disciplinary consortia competitive.”
From campus to society: impact in policy and practice
A consistent goal is for the research to be put to use.
“We design our projects so that the results can be operationalised in policy, public administration and industry. That is why we emphasise co-creation, shared datasets and open methods that make it easier to apply our research,” Keprate says.
He stresses the societal mission:
“We will deliver knowledge that reduces emissions, strengthens preparedness and promotes fairness. That is why we focus on cross-disciplinary collaboration – not for its own sake, but to solve concrete problems.”
Students and early-career researchers in the driver’s seat
The initiative will also shape education and recruitment.
“Students, doctoral candidates and early-career researchers often bring the most innovative ideas. We will give them space, supervision and real project arenas. In this way, we will build the future skills that the labour market needs for the green transition,” he says.
Inviting people in
Keprate extends an invitation to both internal and external communities:
“We are looking for team players who want to help transform systems, not just products. If you are a researcher, student, policy developer or business leader and are passionate about the green transition, we would be delighted to collaborate.”
He sums up the initiative in a single sentence:
“The green transition is about decoupling human development from nature loss, and we want to help show how.”
Key facts at a glance
- Purpose: Build a cross-disciplinary research community that drives the green transition within planetary boundaries.
- Startup measures: NOK 8 million in seed funding; OsloMet’s Green Transition Day on 15 October; support for larger applications (Horizon Europe, Research Council of Norway; planned effort towards FME Samfunn).
- Method: Cross-disciplinary clusters, co-creation with external partners, open and shareable ways of working, mentoring and development pathways for early-career researchers.
