Consortium

The Institute of Forest, Environmental, and Natural Resource Policy (InFER) at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU) conducts political science research on institutions, governance processes and instruments in the fields of forest, environmental and natural resource policies. The research staff of InFER is regularly engaged in research-based policy consulting for associations, regional governments, federal ministries in Austria and other EU Member States, the European Commission, and international organisations. Staff members of InFER address in particular sustainable development, energy and climate policies (mitigation and adaptation), nature conservation and flood risk management related issues. Regarding climate and energy policies, the institute focuses in particular on the of the transition from fossil to renewable energy sources. All these policies are analysed in the context of EU environmental, energy and climate policy making in the framework of the European Green Deal.

Dublin City University was founded in 1981 and comprises over 17,500 students including over 2600 postgraduate students. DCU is Ireland’s most innovative and fastest growing university and delivers more than 200 programmes across five faculties. Excellence in DCU education and research has led to the University being consistently ranked among the top young universities globally, appearing in the 2021 QS Top 70 under 50, and 2020 Times Higher Young University Top 150.  Nationally, DCU has been named Sunday Times ‘University of the Year’ three times (2004, 2010, 2021).  The DCU Centre for Climate and Society brings perspectives from the social sciences, humanities, and cognate disciplines to bear on the challenge of climate change. The Centre is engaged in a range of research and outreach on the climate emergency. The Centre collaborates with civil society, policymakers, local authorities, communities, and educators at multiple levels of governance on ways to strengthen governance and foster public engagement with this issue.

The DD Foundation is a non-profit social change consultancy, founded in 2002. DD is based in Estonia, but works around the Baltic Sea region and globally.

DD's mission is to develop democratic institutions that enable humanity to flourish. We do that through DD StratLab consultancy services for mission-driven organizations and institutional development work with our Center for Democracy.

HOLISTIC is a dynamic consultancy firm in the fields of digital services, energy / environmental policy and planning, projects organization and management support. Moreover, HOLISTIC provides a wide range of marketing and communication services that can be conducted during and within a project’s lifecycle, under funding schemes such as Horizon 2020, Interreg Med and others. HOLISTIC comes from a team of executives who have long and extensive experience in the development of projects in these fields, they have the necessary know-how to undertake and execute complex projects of public, municipal and private organisations in the EU, while they have a considerable research and academic background in cutting-edge methodologies, systems and technologies, which allows detailed and well-documented studies to be carried out in the areas of expertise of the company.

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is one of the foremost social science universities in the world. The School had the highest percentage of world-leading research of any university in the UK, topping or coming close to the top of a number of rankings of research excellence. Set up to improve society and to "understand the causes of things", LSE has always put engagement with the wider world at the heart of its mission. From its location in the heart of London, the School links communities across the world, from formal academic partnerships to advisory work with governments and international organisations.

With approximately 15,500 students and 2,700 staff members, the University of Eastern Finland stands as one of Finland's largest universities. UEF emphasises multidisciplinarity and sustainable development. Environmental change and sustainable use of natural resources are key focus areas for UEF in both research and education. In its research endeavours, UEF strives to achieve the following objectives: (1) generate world-class science grounded in interdisciplinary excellence, (2) disseminate scientific knowledge widely through open science and effective communication, and (3) actively engage in regional and global development initiatives.The RETOOL project will be implemented by the UEF Law School which is part of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies. The Law School is the leading Finnish academic institution in climate change, energy, natural resources, and environmental law. The Law School is home to the Centre for Climate, Energy and Environmental Law (CCEEL). The centre brings together 90 senior and junior researchers and is one of the largest centres of its kind in the world. CCEEL’s research activities cover international, European, and national law and policy.

Ghent University was established in 1817 and has 11 faculties, which offer high quality and research-based educational programmes in almost every scientific discipline. Currently there are about 15 000 staff members working at Ghent University and over 49 000 students. Approximately 10% of the student population is international.

Ghent University is very active on the international scene, scores high in the international rankings (n° 71 in the Shanghai ranking and n° 96 in the Times Higher Education World Universities Ranking), and has been at the forefront of the implementation of all European higher education funding programmes. Since the start of the Erasmus+ programme, UGent is involved in 89 Erasmus+ Key Action 2&3 projects (16 as coordinator), 4 Jean Monnet Activities (1 as coordinator) and 20 Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (11 as coordinator). The International Relations Office provides guidance and support for the actions under the Erasmus+ programme. Ghent University is also active in many research projects (FP7, Horizon 2020, now Horizon Europe), and a number of collaborative development projects, financed by both national (VLIR: Flemish Interuniversity Council, DGDC, BTC) and international organisations (Unesco, etc).

UGent is a member and coordinator of the European University Alliance ‘ENLIGHT’, formed by nine comprehensive, research-intensive universities from nine European countries. It aims to undertake a fundamental transformation of European higher education that empowers learners as globally engaged citizens with state-of-the-art knowledge, skills, and innovation potential to tackle major societal transitions and to promote equitable quality of life and sustainability.

The University of Trento is a dynamic, middle-sized institution welcoming around 16,000 students. It is located in the Dolomites in the North East of Italy. Founded in 1962, Trento has a strong research and teaching tradition at its international campuses in both the city and surrounding area. Its strong commitment to international research and mobility projects has boosted its attractiveness and position in both national and international rankings. Trento has a wealth of experience and ongoing joint projects, including those under different EU schemes.

The School of International Studies, where the Trento academics involved in RETOOL are based, was established in 2001 and includes colleagues from Economics and management, Law, Arts and Humanities, and Sociology and Social Research. It is the only Graduate School in Italy offering advanced graduate courses in International Studies, as well as a Doctoral programme in International Studies. The School provides a vibrant academic environment where students, faculty members, post-doc researchers and visiting professors from all over the world participate in the School’s teaching and research activities, and all contribute to the creation of a stimulating intellectual community. 

The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is a public university located in Brussels, Belgium, with origins dating back more than 180 years. It offers a full range of bachelor's and master's programs, as well as an extensive research portfolio, with eight faculties covering social sciences, medicine, engineering, arts, sciences, law, psychology, and physical education. The Brussels School of Governance is an alliance between the Institute for European Studies (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), which has a long-standing reputation in postgraduate education & research, and Vesalius College, which has a solid undergraduate & graduate education offering.

The Brussels School’s Centre for Environment, Economy and Energy (3E Centre) specifically focuses on the international and European governance of today’s environmental, economic, and energy transitions and their interactions. It analyses and develops innovative legal and policy instruments to govern these turbulent transitions towards decarbonised, resource-efficient economies in Europe and worldwide. Key sub-themes include the techno-economic transition, democratic transition governance, reconciliation of values, and European external relations.