Rashieda Davids
Towards the Three Dimensions of Sustainability for International Research Team Collaboration: Learnings from the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems Research Programme
Davids, Rashieda; Scheelbeek, Pauline; Sobratee, Nafiisa; Green, Rosemary; Häesler, Barbara; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe; Chatterjee, Suparna; Srinivasapura Venkateshmurthy, Nikhil; Mace, Georgina; Dangour, Alan; Slotow, Rob
Authors
Pauline Scheelbeek
Nafiisa Sobratee
Rosemary Green
Barbara Häesler
Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi
Suparna Chatterjee
Nikhil Srinivasapura Venkateshmurthy
Georgina Mace
Alan Dangour
Rob Slotow
Abstract
This paper highlights the potential for learning and virtual collaboration in international research teams to contribute towards sustainability goals. Previous research confirmed the environmental benefits of carbon savings from international virtual conferences. This paper adds the social and economic dimensions by using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to measure the constraints and benefits for personal development, economic costs, efficiency and team learning of holding international virtual conferences (VCs). Using the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems (SHEFS) research programme as a case study, we analysed VC participant survey data to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of VCs. We estimated 'saved' GHG emissions , costs, and time, of using VCs as an alternative for a planned in-person meeting in Chennai, India. Hosting VCs reduced North-South, gender, and researcher inclusivity concerns, financial and travelling time costs, and substantially reduced emissions. For one international meeting with 107 participants, changing to a virtual format reduced the per capita GHG emissions to half the annual global average, and avoided 60% of travel costs. The benefits of VCs outweighed weaknesses. The main strengths were inclusivity and access, with 20% more early/mid-career researchers attending. This study identified opportunities for international research partnerships to mitigate their carbon footprint (environmental benefit) and enhance inclusivity of early/mid-career, women and Global South participants (social benefit), whilst continuing to deliver effective collaborative research meetings (economic benefit). In doing so, we present a holistic view of sustainability opportunities for virtual collaboration.
Citation
Davids, R., Scheelbeek, P., Sobratee, N., Green, R., Häesler, B., Mabhaudhi, T., …Slotow, R. (2021). Towards the Three Dimensions of Sustainability for International Research Team Collaboration: Learnings from the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems Research Programme. Sustainability, 13(22), 12427. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212427
Journal Article Type | Article |
---|---|
Acceptance Date | Nov 2, 2021 |
Online Publication Date | Nov 10, 2021 |
Publication Date | Nov 10, 2021 |
Deposit Date | Nov 10, 2021 |
Publicly Available Date | Nov 11, 2021 |
Publisher | MDPI |
Peer Reviewed | Peer Reviewed |
Volume | 13 |
Issue | 22 |
Pages | 12427 |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212427 |
Keywords | sustainability; climate change; carbon footprint; virtual conference; transdisciplinary team; virtual team; learning |
Public URL | https://rvc-repository.worktribe.com/output/1552492 |
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http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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