Towards Collaborative Practice: From Aberdeen to Aber-Net

This study investigated how collaboration between academia and local authorities creates sustainable frameworks for addressing urban challenges through environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles, benefiting both education and the long-term resilience of cities. The paper discusses how establishing dialogue and setting common aims between educational institutions and local authorities, by adopting Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, enables architecture schools to address civic responsibilities while advancing ESG goals in urban development. The collaboration addresses environmental sustainability through circular economy principles, promotes social inclusion through community engagement, and establishes transparent governance through institutional partnerships. This collaborative model was developed through three summer workshops in Aberdeen, delivered before the pandemic, which helped bridge the gap between theory (academic and educational hypotheses) and practice (tangible urban challenges facing public organisations). This unique experience, named Aber-net (reiterating the intention of creating a network of collaborations), demonstrated how merging research, professional expertise and educational frameworks can create ESG-driven partnerships that support responsible urban development, a model currently underrepresented in the UK. In conclusion, the paper discusses how these collaborative activities improved the perception of public spaces in Aberdeen while establishing a replicable ESG-aligned framework for sustainable partnerships. It examines the challenges and opportunities of creating academia-practice networks that embed ESG principles into urban development.