The Twin Transformation, where the green and the digital shift are connected, will shape the world going forward. If we are to succeed in green transition at the level that the planet requires, digitization must become a central part of the solution. The challenge going forward will be to connect these changes in a targeted, systematic way and on a realistic scale. The contributions from academia will be decisive. This will challenge what we research, how we research, who we collaborate with, what education we offer and how we develop it. How do we meet these challenges at our own faculty, and at the University of Oslo?
The position paper “The Twin Transition Century. The role of digital research for a successful green transition of society?” illuminates the need for and the challenges of connecting the beneficial and digital shift. The university alliance, The Guild, is behind it. UiO is a member of The Guild, and it is led by our former rector Ole Petter Ottersen. The paper was written by Morten D?hlen, center manager at the faculty's Center for Data and Computational Science - dScience. The work culminates in recommendations for the higher education sector, decision-makers and funders.
The challenges that are addressed directly to our own sector are to:
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Strengthen efforts to develop digital solutions that improve institutional sustainability and environmental data management;
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Promote interdisciplinary collaboration and team science approaches, including via appropriate career recognition systems;
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Integrate content into educational programs that give students the opportunity to understand and engage with the complexities of both the digital and the green transition.
We had the pleasure of witnessing the launch of this important document at Norway House in Brussels on the 21st of September, with broad participation from Norwegian and European business, universities, the European Commission, research councils, embassies and interest associations.
An important challenge that was highlighted in the debate that followed was that of succeeding in linking two processes that run along very different time axes. While digitization is taking off at a pace that has led to recommendations for a pause in AI development, the green shift lags behind and takes place at a much too slow pace. This is an issue that must be addressed going forward, both by researchers, politicians and bureaucrats. Academia must contribute to solutions that make integration possible.
Furthermore, the report highlights the need for real, interdisciplinary collaboration across disciplines, and this was also highlighted as a core element in the debate. It is emphasized that a successful green transformation of society will require a wide range of competence across science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM subjects) in addition to a digital research agenda, with real integration of social sciences, arts and humanities (SSAH- subject). In this context, UiO is in a unique position nationally, with very strong research environments within the breadth of both STEM and SSAH subjects. This gives UiO a unique position, but also responsibility for contributing to the knowledge base for green transition.
The need for integrated interdisciplinarity to solve complex problems will challenge the entire research system as we know it today. It is obvious that the ideas put forward will challenge today's strongly individual-based, competition-driven research system.
The government has recently promised one billion Norwegian kroner for research into artificial intelligence and the consequences this technology may have for Norwegian society. This provides a golden opportunity to see artificial intelligence related to green transition, with a requirement for strong, interdisciplinary research projects as a basis for awarding funds.
We were proud to represent the faculty and UiO at the meeting, which has taken such a clear role and responsibility in this work.
Eva S. Dugstad, head of business and public relations
Solveig Kristensen, dean