In their relatively short existence, the Expertisenetwork Systemic Co-design (ESC) (ESC) puts these aspirations into practice. As an adventurous and open-ended escapade, ESC is building a community of engaged people around shared challenges, who learn together, create new social narratives, develop capacities, …

Research into the impact of innovative sustainable energy experiments and demonstrations is crucial to diversifying, scaling up, and accelerating the sustainable energy transition. Although there is vast research into sustainable energy experiments and demonstrations, research literature offers a fragmented …

The construction and demolition is a resource intensive sector, with Construction and Demolition Wastes (CDWs) considered as the largest waste streams accounting for 374 million tonnes in Europe. Although the 70% target for material recovery of CDWs set in the European Union Waste Directive Framework …

Similar to many other member states of the European Union, the Netherlands aims to become achieve 100% circular economy (CE) by 2050. To do so, they have stimulated several initiatives to transition towards circularity. There is a small but growing researcher interest in the concept of collaborative …

Pregnancy and early parenthood mark a transformative period where women become caregivers and assume a new role with new responsibilities. While often portrayed positively, the transition to motherhood can be overwhelming. This is especially true for women living in adverse circumstances, presenting …

The global food system is a major contributor to climate change, accounting for one third of the worldwide emissions. 55% of these greenhouse gasses are created through the production and consumption of animal-based protein. While the demand for food is expected to rise due to the significant population …

In the face of increasingly complex societal challenges, the field of social design is being called upon to deepen its ability to create long-term, systemic impact. This project, conducted with five experienced social designers and one workshop in our ESConference in 2025, explored how systems thinking, …

"Europe’s energy transition requires not only technological innovation but also new educational approaches that equip future professionals to navigate complex social, technical, and governance challenges. This expert article examines how students from Avans University of Applied Sciences contribute to …

"Education with hands-on impact: This project highlights how a German and a Malagasy higher education institution, together with their spin-offs, collaborate to implement sustainable energy solutions and promote social participation at the local level. Through the joint establishment of a pellet factory …