House of Sustainable Transitions translates groundbreaking VUB research into practical training for professionals

21/07/2026

Brussels, 21 July 2026 – Climate change, biodiversity loss and the quest for a just and healthy society call for far-reaching changes in the way we live our lives. To help professionals navigate the complex sustainability challenges, the House of Sustainable Transitions (HOST) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is launching the Training Academy for Transformative Change. The programme builds on Professor Cathy Macharis’s Factor 8 framework and translates the scientific expertise of more than 200 VUB researchers into concrete methodologies for governments, businesses and civil society organisations seeking to drive sustainable change.

In 2024, the VUB established HOST, an interdisciplinary platform bringing together more than 200 researchers to address major societal transitions. HOST focuses on five areas where the transition is most keenly felt: energy, mobility, food, buildings and the economy. Climate, biodiversity, equity and well-being are central to this, as the societal challenges that guide these transitions. Through its new Training Academy, HOST is now making this scientific expertise directly available to professionals who wish to bring about sustainable change within their organisations.

“Sustainable transitions require more than technological innovations or new regulations. They also require people who can guide complex changes, bring together different perspectives and help organisations break out of entrenched patterns. Through the Training Academy, we are translating years of scientific research into a practice-oriented learning programme that enables participants to put what they’ve learnt into practice themselves tomorrow,” says Professor Cathy Macharis, founder of HOST and developer of the Factor 8 framework, on which the programme is based.

From research to impact

HOST brings together VUB researchers from fields including climate science, economics, law, social sciences, biology and engineering. Drawing on this broad expertise, the platform develops solutions to the complex sustainability challenges currently facing governments, businesses and civil society organisations. The Training Academy aligns seamlessly with that mission. Participants learn not only to analyse complex systems, but also how to engage stakeholders, understand resistance and facilitate sustainable change. At the heart of this is Factor 8, the transformation framework developed by Cathy Macharis. This combines systems thinking, participatory methodologies and practical tools to enable change.

During the programme, participants also work on their own practical case study, ensuring that the insights gained can be applied immediately within their own organisations; above all, they are equipped with the tools to facilitate change themselves.

“As a university, we want not only to develop new knowledge, but also to use it to help solve societal challenges. Through HOST, we bring together academics, businesses, public authorities and citizens. The Training Academy is a logical next step: we are empowering people who are helping to shape the sustainable transition from within their own organisations,” says Jan Danckaert, rector of the VUB.

Pilot programme

The pilot programme runs from September 2026 to January 2027 and combines four in-person training days, a two-day residential retreat and an online learning platform. Participants will gain access to VUB expertise in sustainability, systems thinking and transition management, whilst also building an interdisciplinary network with professionals from various sectors.

The first edition is supported by VLAIO. A second edition is planned for spring 2027.