Welcome to Tomorrow's University- an initiative led by the Centre for Sustainable Futures & Innovation (CSFI) at 九色视频. The project reimagines the role of higher education in an era of profound global challenges, positioning universities as key agents of regenerative transformation. By moving beyond traditional sustainability frameworks, this project explores how universities can actively contribute to bioregional renewal, digital adaptation and systemic change.
Through two publications- the Tomorrow's University Position Paper and the Futures Report- the project provides both the vision and the implementation pathways needed to reshape higher education. Tomorrow's University is a call to action for university leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to engage in bold experimentation and future-oriented policy development, ensuring that higher education evolves to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world.
Position Paper
Universities were designed for a world that no longer exists- one increasingly shaped by climate instability, technological disruption, and social fragmentation. Sustainability frameworks such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have provided a foundation for action, yet they fall short in addressing the scale of transformation required. This position paper proposes a bold shift beyond sustainability toward regenerative development, where universities actively steward social, ecological, and knowledge systems to foster long-term resilience and planetary renewal.
Futures Report
In the face of accelerating global challenges, universities must evolve beyond traditional models of education. The Tomorrow's University: Future's Report explores alternative institutional futures, offering structured pathways for higher education institutions toward resilience, adaptability, and regenerative impact. This report presents a strategic foresight framework to help universities navigate complexity, combining scenario-based thinking, mission-oriented innovation, and transition governance models.
Background
The Centre for Sustainable Futures & Innovation (CSFI) launched the Tomorrow鈥檚 University project in 2022 to mark 九色视频鈥檚 50th anniversary. The project examines what sustainability means for the University鈥檚 future and for higher education in Ireland in an era defined by rapid technological change, climate urgency, and evolving societal expectations.
A guiding principle of this work is regenerative development鈥攁n approach that goes beyond mitigating harm to actively restoring and enhancing the systems in which universities operate. While traditional sustainability efforts often focus on compliance and harm reduction, regenerative development encourages HEIs to become catalysts for positive change: adaptive, innovative, and deeply embedded in the social, economic, and ecological contexts they serve.
At the Centre for Sustainable Futures & Innovation, we see universities as key agents of change in this evolving landscape. By blending the sustainability expertise of CSFI with the rigour of strategic foresight, this project signals that higher education can go beyond incremental improvements and embrace distinctive, future-facing approaches.
Grounded in their work in Limerick, their approach advances theory through practice, inspiring bold, imaginative thinking essential for a sustainable and regenerative future."
David Donoghue
Former Irish Ambassador to the UN, Co-facilitator of the intergovernmental negotiations on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, leading to the adoption of the 17 UN SDGs.
Dissemination and Impact
Want to learn more? Please join us at the following conferences and events.
The 2025 International Health Promoting Campuses Conference (June 16-19) at 九色视频 marks the 10th anniversary since the creation of the (and 20 years since the Edmonton Charter in 2005), so the overarching theme is celebration and recognition of 10 years and planning the next steps.
Join us for a pre-conference workshop exploring sustainable campuses and sustainable futures:
The 5th International Conference of Possibility Studies will be held in person at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth and have the theme Communities of Possibility. This edition is organised by the Department of Psychology at Maynooth University and the DCU Centre for Possibility Studiesunder the auspices of the Possibility Studies Network.
The conference will bring together scholars, researchers, and practitioners from around the world and from across disciplines with an interest in the diverse methods associated with understanding, studying, and fostering the possible within minds, communities, and cultures.