The Centre for Research on Digital Transformation – CREDO at the University of Dubrovnik has joined a new international project titled SUSTAIN – Sustainable University for Society Through Action, Innovation and Knowledge Networks, funded under the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education programme. The participation of the CREDO Centre in this initiative reflects its growing international recognition in the fields of digital transformation, innovation, and policy research focused on strengthening the links between academia, the economy, and society.
The SUSTAIN project focuses on strengthening the societal role of higher education institutions through the development of the so-called third mission of universities. Alongside teaching and research, the third mission refers to universities’ active engagement in societal and economic development through knowledge transfer, collaboration with industry and public institutions, and participation in addressing major social, economic, and environmental challenges. These themes are central to the work of the CREDO Centre, which has been actively developing research and policy initiatives aimed at fostering stronger cooperation between academia, business, and public stakeholders.
Within the project, particular emphasis is placed on sustainable development, social inclusion, and strengthening universities’ institutional capacities for societal engagement. The consortium brings together partners from Europe and Asia with the aim of enhancing the capacities of higher education institutions in Vietnam and the Maldives, especially in the areas of institutional development, international cooperation, and community engagement. The project will support the development of new models of collaboration between universities and local communities, the organisation of training programmes for academic and administrative staff, and the creation of practical tools and guidelines designed to help universities engage more actively with local stakeholders, businesses, and public institutions.
The project consortium consists of eight institutions from five countries: Škoda Auto University (Czech Republic) as the project coordinator, the University of Dubrovnik (Croatia), the European Society for Socio Economic Integration – ESSEI (Belgium), Banking Academy, Phu Yen University, and Bac Giang Agriculture and Forestry University (Vietnam), as well as the Islamic University of Maldives and Maldives Polytechnic (Maldives).
Through its participation in the SUSTAIN project, the CREDO Centre further strengthens its role as one of the key research units of the University of Dubrovnik in the fields of innovation, digital transformation, and policy development aimed at enhancing the societal contribution of universities. At the same time, the project represents an important step in the continued international positioning of the University of Dubrovnik as an institution actively engaged in the development of sustainable and socially responsible models of higher education.
