A significant new research area connects research in social work and sustainable transition

The University of Jyväskylä was awarded nearly €4 million for a doctoral education project led by Professor of Social Work Aila-Leena Matthies (Kokkola University Consortium Chydenius) and coordinated by JYU.

In the Applying Sustainability Transition Research in Social Work Tackling Major Societal Challenge of Social Inclusion (ASTRA) project, social work is applied alongside multidisciplinary sustainable transition research, politics and practices.

The combination of research in social work and sustainable transition results in a remarkable new research area with societal significance. It also points the way to a sustainable transition for European doctoral education in social work. The idea is that a socially sustainable society may only be based on sustainable nature and a just and fair economy.

The project will recruit 15 young doctoral students to study the possibilities of social participation, especially from the point of view of young people outside the world of work and with an immigrant background as well as that of vulnerable local communities. Sustainable transition models adaptable to social work in the ASTRA research include the following: nature-based wellbeing, environmental justice, the circular and solidarity economy, sustainable nutritional policy in local communities, eco-social innovations and the right to a meaningful life.

The ASTRA research network consists of seven leading European social work university units which have studied sustainable transition. Furthermore, multidisciplinary expertise is brought to the network by LUKE, which represents the natural sciences, and the Belgian research department, CIRIEC, which studies sustainable local economy.

The ASTRA research project provides innovative and practical solutions as well as new research-based information for both social work and multidisciplinary sustainable transition research. The research cooperation in these fields will also have a broader influence on society and the scientific community. The ASTRA doctoral students will have new kinds of career opportunities in social work and sustainable transition, interdisciplinary politics and developing sustainable economy on local, national and international levels. ASTRA is an MCSA doctoral school project of the EU H2020 programme, and it is coordinated by the University of Jyväskylä. The total budget of the project is almost €4 million and the University of Jyväskylä’s share is €842,000. The doctoral school network includes seven universities, two research units and seven civic organisations or business ventures, and it spans seven EU countries.

Universities of Jyväskylä, Oulu and Vaasa in Kokkola

90 EXPERTS

101 MASTER’S DEGREES / YEAR 4 DOCTORAL DEGREES / YEAR

18,227

ECTS CREDITS FROM THE OPEN UNIVERSITY / YEAR

€7 m

TOTAL FUNDING

€4.3 m

EXTERNAL FUNDING