Towards the Three Dimensions of Sustainability for International Research Team Collaboration: Learnings from the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems Research Programme

This paper highlights the potential for learning and virtual collaboration in international research teams to contribute towards sustainability goals. Previous research confirmed the environmental benefits of carbon savings from international virtual conferences. This paper adds the social and econo...

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Autores principales:	Rashieda Davids, Pauline Scheelbeek, Nafiisa Sobratee, Rosemary Green, Barbara Häesler, Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi, Suparna Chatterjee, Nikhil Srinivasapura Venkateshmurthy, Georgina Mace, Alan Dangour, Rob Slotow
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	MDPI AG 2021
Materias:	sustainability climate change carbon footprint virtual conference transdisciplinary team virtual team Environmental effects of industries and plants TD194-195 Renewable energy sources TJ807-830 Environmental sciences GE1-350
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/3dd8cdbcbd1e4aeab54cef6c36b35a12
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:3dd8cdbcbd1e4aeab54cef6c36b35a122021-11-25T19:00:56ZTowards the Three Dimensions of Sustainability for International Research Team Collaboration: Learnings from the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems Research Programme10.3390/su1322124272071-1050https://doaj.org/article/3dd8cdbcbd1e4aeab54cef6c36b35a122021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/22/12427https://doaj.org/toc/2071-1050This paper highlights the potential for learning and virtual collaboration in international research teams to contribute towards sustainability goals. Previous research confirmed the environmental benefits of carbon savings from international virtual conferences. This paper adds the social and economic dimensions by using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to measure the constraints and benefits for personal development, economic costs, efficiency and team learning of holding international virtual conferences (VCs). Using the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems (SHEFS) research programme as a case study, we analysed VC participant survey data to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of VCs. We estimated ‘saved’ GHG emissions, costs, and time, of using VCs as an alternative for a planned in-person meeting in Chennai, India. Hosting VCs reduced North–South, gender, and researcher inclusivity concerns, financial and travelling time costs, and substantially reduced emissions. For one international meeting with 107 participants, changing to a virtual format reduced the per capita GHG emissions to half the annual global average, and avoided 60% of travel costs. The benefits of VCs outweighed weaknesses. The main strengths were inclusivity and access, with 20% more early/mid-career researchers attending. This study identified opportunities for international research partnerships to mitigate their carbon footprint (environmental benefit) and enhance inclusivity of early/mid-career, women and Global South participants (social benefit), whilst continuing to deliver effective collaborative research meetings (economic benefit). In doing so, we present a holistic view of sustainability opportunities for virtual collaboration.Rashieda DavidsPauline ScheelbeekNafiisa SobrateeRosemary GreenBarbara HäeslerTafadzwanashe MabhaudhiSuparna ChatterjeeNikhil Srinivasapura VenkateshmurthyGeorgina MaceAlan DangourRob SlotowMDPI AGarticlesustainabilityclimate changecarbon footprintvirtual conferencetransdisciplinary teamvirtual teamEnvironmental effects of industries and plantsTD194-195Renewable energy sourcesTJ807-830Environmental sciencesGE1-350ENSustainability, Vol 13, Iss 12427, p 12427 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	sustainability climate change carbon footprint virtual conference transdisciplinary team virtual team Environmental effects of industries and plants TD194-195 Renewable energy sources TJ807-830 Environmental sciences GE1-350
spellingShingle	sustainability climate change carbon footprint virtual conference transdisciplinary team virtual team Environmental effects of industries and plants TD194-195 Renewable energy sources TJ807-830 Environmental sciences GE1-350 Rashieda Davids Pauline Scheelbeek Nafiisa Sobratee Rosemary Green Barbara Häesler Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi Suparna Chatterjee Nikhil Srinivasapura Venkateshmurthy Georgina Mace Alan Dangour Rob Slotow Towards the Three Dimensions of Sustainability for International Research Team Collaboration: Learnings from the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems Research Programme
description	This paper highlights the potential for learning and virtual collaboration in international research teams to contribute towards sustainability goals. Previous research confirmed the environmental benefits of carbon savings from international virtual conferences. This paper adds the social and economic dimensions by using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to measure the constraints and benefits for personal development, economic costs, efficiency and team learning of holding international virtual conferences (VCs). Using the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems (SHEFS) research programme as a case study, we analysed VC participant survey data to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of VCs. We estimated ‘saved’ GHG emissions, costs, and time, of using VCs as an alternative for a planned in-person meeting in Chennai, India. Hosting VCs reduced North–South, gender, and researcher inclusivity concerns, financial and travelling time costs, and substantially reduced emissions. For one international meeting with 107 participants, changing to a virtual format reduced the per capita GHG emissions to half the annual global average, and avoided 60% of travel costs. The benefits of VCs outweighed weaknesses. The main strengths were inclusivity and access, with 20% more early/mid-career researchers attending. This study identified opportunities for international research partnerships to mitigate their carbon footprint (environmental benefit) and enhance inclusivity of early/mid-career, women and Global South participants (social benefit), whilst continuing to deliver effective collaborative research meetings (economic benefit). In doing so, we present a holistic view of sustainability opportunities for virtual collaboration.
format	article
author	Rashieda Davids Pauline Scheelbeek Nafiisa Sobratee Rosemary Green Barbara Häesler Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi Suparna Chatterjee Nikhil Srinivasapura Venkateshmurthy Georgina Mace Alan Dangour Rob Slotow
author_facet	Rashieda Davids Pauline Scheelbeek Nafiisa Sobratee Rosemary Green Barbara Häesler Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi Suparna Chatterjee Nikhil Srinivasapura Venkateshmurthy Georgina Mace Alan Dangour Rob Slotow
author_sort	Rashieda Davids
title	Towards the Three Dimensions of Sustainability for International Research Team Collaboration: Learnings from the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems Research Programme
title_short	Towards the Three Dimensions of Sustainability for International Research Team Collaboration: Learnings from the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems Research Programme
title_full	Towards the Three Dimensions of Sustainability for International Research Team Collaboration: Learnings from the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems Research Programme
title_fullStr	Towards the Three Dimensions of Sustainability for International Research Team Collaboration: Learnings from the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems Research Programme
title_full_unstemmed	Towards the Three Dimensions of Sustainability for International Research Team Collaboration: Learnings from the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems Research Programme
title_sort	towards the three dimensions of sustainability for international research team collaboration: learnings from the sustainable and healthy food systems research programme
publisher	MDPI AG
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/3dd8cdbcbd1e4aeab54cef6c36b35a12
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Towards the Three Dimensions of Sustainability for International Research Team Collaboration: Learnings from the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems Research Programme

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