In the past years, hardly any topic has moved people more than sustainability. Responsible action means to reflect change in a critical way and to use it as a catalyst to inspire new processes of creation and knowledge and to re-design artefacts. The responsibilities of a university of art, resulting from the urgency of ecological and, consequently, political challenges, are diverse. Sustainability in all its forms includes a critical-reflective attitude towards society and the environment. This affects thinking and acting in everyday life, and in academic contexts the approach to artistic and creative action as well as scientific debate. The University of Art and Design Linz considers it its responsibility to lay a focus on the ecological, social, technological and economic dimensions of sustainability, to point to ambiguities within the sustainability discourse and to specify terminology and concepts. As an interdisciplinary matter, sustainability has become a central aspect in all areas of the University of Art and Design Linz, including administration and special departments, and it will continue to have a high priority in the years to come.
We, as a university, have a great social responsibility. Reflecting and shaping the social dimensions of sustainability is central to our self-image. Social inclusion, gender equality and diversity are core values of the university. Starting with application procedures and admission examinations, we aim to reach especially people for whom access to a university of art has been difficult due to their biographical, social or cultural background. We initiate diverse measures in all areas of university life in order to raise awareness for sustainability and to develop best practices.
Socially, ecologically, technologically and economically sustainable solutions cannot be developed in isolated disciplines. They require the interaction of different perspectives. Hence, we continue to promote and improve interaction between individual departments and institutes. Current examples include an orientation semester which allows students to choose an interdisciplinary focus from the very beginning. The university also contemplates a post-graduate master programme for Performance and Participatory Art. Furthermore, the exploration of post-colonial theory, political ecology and economic theory will be imperative to a responsible re-positioning of design.
Irrespective of existing workshops, the university plans the creation of interdisciplinary, cross-departmental Co.Labs, which connect advancement and appreciation of the arts, design, knowledge transfer and research and offer important points of contact to the entire university.
Starting from existing strong points such as BASEhabitat, the überholz programme, Fashion & Technology, Industrial Design, space&designstrategies and projects such as kulturtankstelle or Digitalwerk at the Creative Robotics lab, the University of Art and Design Linz is a place of critical analysis of social processes. It is our goal to raise awareness for the ecological and social challenges of our time, to search for sustainable, innovative solutions and processes and, by extension, to influence industry.
This point of focus will be promoted by the creation of the following new professorships which are all connected to the aspect of sustainability: professorship for Structural Engineering and professorship for Architectural Theory, professorship for Fashion Design and professorship for Design Theory, professorship for Perceptual Research in Design and professorship for Virtual and Augmented Design Methods as well as a (guest) professorship for Design: Technique.Textile. In the field of visual art, the university plans to create a new professorship for Sculpture and Environment. Furthermore, we aim to define and realise an artistic/design professorship at the thematic interface of diversity, care work and sustainability.
Apart from the exploration of artistic, creative and scientific contents, the entire university commits to the sustainable use of existing resources. It will promote sustainable action in all areas, participate in trans-regional sustainability networks, demand and promote gender equality and diversity in all areas, and reduce its ecological footprint.