The University of Lausanne announces three major research projects as part of its STRIVE program. With a total budget of CHF 4 million over four years, this program focuses on the processes of societal transformation in response to urgent sustainability challenges.
Following a two-step selection process that began in December 2023, three interdisciplinary projects have been chosen for funding under the STRIVE program, over a period of four years starting in autumn 2024.
The three selected projects stand out for their complementarity and interdisciplinarity, as well as for their scientific rigor and high potential for societal impact. They align with UNIL's commitment to ecological transition and the implementation of the CAP2037 transition strategy.
Principal Investigators: Patrick Rérat (FGSE), Véronique Boillet (FDCA), Virginie Lurkin (HEC), Fabien Ohl (SSP), Julie Pollard (SSP), with the collaboration of Bengt Kayser (FBM/SSP)
This project aims to understand the conditions, mechanisms, and obstacles to the social and ecological transformation of mobility in Switzerland through the use of bicycles, considered as a catalyst for change. It focuses on (1) individuals, (2) travel, and (3) the implementation of public action, taking into account the diversity of population groups and territories. The goal is to identify strategies to transform mobility practices at both individual (aspirations, lifestyles) and structural levels (policies, planning, social norms). The project involves numerous collaborations with mobility stakeholders at the communal, cantonal, and federal levels, in the public, private, and associative sectors.
Principal Investigators: Stéphanie Missonier (HEC), Estefania Amer (HEC), Raphaël Baroni (Letters), Grégoire Zimmermann (SSP), with the collaboration of Marc Audétat (SSP)
This project aims to analyze the impact of two dominant types of narratives - technosolutionist and apocalyptic - on ecological and social transformation in cultural and economic/managerial fields. By collecting and studying data from these two spheres, and adopting an action-research approach, the project will intervene in secondary and university education sectors. The goal is to develop tools to deconstruct dominant narratives that could be demobilizing and potentially irresponsible - "technology will solve everything" and "all is lost"—and to promote the emergence of alternative narratives that foster action and hope (called "earthbound narratives").
Principal Investigators: Eric Jondeau (HEC), Véronique Boillet (FDCA), Martino Maggetti (SSP), Julia Steinberger (FGSE)
This project explores the strategies and public policy instruments that would allow Switzerland to operate within the Donut model, significantly reducing its ecological footprint while promoting social justice and well-being. Using a dynamic model, the project will analyze the potential of various packages of measures and regulatory modalities, exploring them in different scenarios. It will also conduct an inventory of existing and hypothetical public policies, aiming to identify inconsistencies and develop a systematic toolkit for change agents. Special attention will be paid to the legal dimension, identifying potential legal obstacles to change, as well as legal justifications to support it.