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<p>An increasing number of stakeholders demand that higher education institutions contribute to sustainability transitions in places where they operate. Concurrently, policymakers encourage universities to differentiate themselves from each other. On the one hand, universities’ sustainability contributions through third mission must complement those of other institutions in the same region to prevent resource fragmentation. On the other hand, they must also distinguish themselves to ensure that their sustainability efforts do not overlap excessively and become too similar. This article reports on the findings from a&#xa0;study of three higher education institutions in Vestland, Norway, exploring how external pressures and internal organizational dynamics influence their third mission positioning in relation to local sustainability transitions. The findings suggest that multiple coercive isomorphic pressures have played a&#xa0;key role in making these otherwise distinct institutions moderately similar over time. This convergence has, in turn, laid the foundation for closer coordination and collaboration in addressing regional sustainability challenges. Furthermore, we identify specific institutional carriers—symbolic systems, relational systems and routines—that have been instrumental in fostering complementary differentiation in third mission activities of the three universities. The article concludes with proposition of complementary differentiation as a&#xa0;conceptual lens to explore universities’ positioning in regional sustainability transitions, followed by policy recommendations and avenues for future research.</p>

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One region, three universities: complementary differentiation in regional sustainability transitions

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月20日

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  • Ridvan Cinar,
  • Lars Coenen

摘要

An increasing number of stakeholders demand that higher education institutions contribute to sustainability transitions in places where they operate. Concurrently, policymakers encourage universities to differentiate themselves from each other. On the one hand, universities’ sustainability contributions through third mission must complement those of other institutions in the same region to prevent resource fragmentation. On the other hand, they must also distinguish themselves to ensure that their sustainability efforts do not overlap excessively and become too similar. This article reports on the findings from a study of three higher education institutions in Vestland, Norway, exploring how external pressures and internal organizational dynamics influence their third mission positioning in relation to local sustainability transitions. The findings suggest that multiple coercive isomorphic pressures have played a key role in making these otherwise distinct institutions moderately similar over time. This convergence has, in turn, laid the foundation for closer coordination and collaboration in addressing regional sustainability challenges. Furthermore, we identify specific institutional carriers—symbolic systems, relational systems and routines—that have been instrumental in fostering complementary differentiation in third mission activities of the three universities. The article concludes with proposition of complementary differentiation as a conceptual lens to explore universities’ positioning in regional sustainability transitions, followed by policy recommendations and avenues for future research.