A new way of thinking to create meaningful change
Project IPA works on the development of innovation portfolios, and during the visit some potential portfolios related to PLAI's work in Romania were identified. PLAI and the Ambasada Cultural House Gather extensive experience in working in the cultural and creative sectors through, among other things, creating content for Timisoara's European Capital Of Culture (ECOC), helping to develop Romania's first cultural strategy in Romania, starting the Plai festival, building homes and offices out of shipping containers and creating work opportunities through textile recycling. From this work, three possible portfolios have been identified. A portfolio can be about revitalizing a university network with a focus on students and alumni, one about having the PLAI festival and cultural organizations as a focal point for development projects and test beds, and finally a portfolio that deals with building temporary places for activities and accommodation. All of these portfolios work to create breadth and diversification in communities with a focus on social and sustainable development. In this it is interesting to find the driving forces and values that build and hold together different activities.
- During a festival, cultural activities, music, local food, associations and a variety of other activities gather in a temporary place. It often spreads in that it is many different substances, but the driving forces are often the same. At the core of PLAI's activities is a social commitment and a sustainability mindset. It is important to understand what the driving forces are to know how to create and maintain engagement and have a long-term impact, says Katarina Scott from Future by Lund.
The portfolios are supported and developed with the help of portfolio method Like Future by Lund and Lund University brought out. As the method is constantly being refined, it also provides an opportunity for evaluation and feedback and possible improvements.
- A realization is that it takes a lot of hard work to make the complex simple and practical, continues Katarina Scott. During these days we have thoroughly discussed different ways of working with portfolio evaluation, tools, methods and frameworks. We have also begun a technical specification list of required features.
In the IPA project, participants work on different innovation and development methods and how to use their worldview and values to drive innovation, change and green transition. The group therefore also had a workshop on how to apply Existential Sustainability, facilitated by Birgitta Persson at Future by Lund. Among other things, the work touched on ways to approach and connect with different stakeholders and partners through existential sustainability. Also discussed was the event that the group will organize in June 2025 (a successor to the forum Unexpec which was held in Lund in 2023). A key point was how the group can communicate existential sustainability.
- What makes IPA a little different is that we do not necessarily give any clear answers, but rather give way to larger questions, so you could say that the questions are in fact the answers, says Lina Lanterno, communicator in the project. We want our audiences to recognize these issues in themselves and in their work.
Future by Lund uses a zone model, which divides innovation work into three zones. There, the yellow zone represents a work in which the mandate is rather unclear and organizations share challenges and opportunities. Who owns what and who should do what is not clear, presenting greater risks. It is then necessary to co-create and clarify. The IPA project investigates how to work consciously on strategies for working in the yellow zone. Project members saw that they benefit from learning to appreciate that projects can be a place of uncertainty.
- For us, it is important to see how to approach change in a more constructive way, for example by encouraging a change of perspective and stimulating curiosity. We in the IPA project want to be those who welcome and are inspired by uncertainty and complexity, and who work with values and drivers as a prerequisite for change over time,” concludes Birgitta Persson.
Some contacts made during the visit:
Meeting with the head of the New European Bauhaus movement in Romania.
Meeting with representatives from USVT, University of Life Science in Timișoara.
Visit to PLAI's partner One Two
Visit to MV Sci-Art Center, part of Polytechnic University of Timisoara
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Cooperation to find an inner core for innovation and green transition
