“Co-Learning” for Sustainable and Resilient Communities: Conceptualization, Typology, and Method Development ^†

Introduction

Achieving sustainable and resilient communities requires addressing complex and layered regional challenges, including decarbonization, demographic shifts, resource circulation, and energy transitions. Tackling such multifaceted issues demands more than technological innovation—it necessitates inclusive, dialogic, and adaptive learning processes that bridge diverse knowledge systems. While concepts such as knowledge co-production, transdisciplinary research, and participatory governance have gained traction, a systematic framework that clearly conceptualizes co-learning in the context of regional sustainability transitions remains underdeveloped.

Objective: This study aims to conceptualize co-learning as a methodological and strategic foundation for achieving regional sustainability and resilience. It also seeks to develop practical methods for applying co-learning in real-world regional settings.

Methods: We conducted an extensive literature review and field-based research to develop a conceptual framework and typology of co-learning. Based on these foundations, we explored two types—Bridging Co-learning and Project-based Co-learning—through pilot projects in the island region of Tanegashima, Japan, where we co-developed and tested context-sensitive implementation methods.

Results: We define co-learning as a mutual learning process through which diverse actors—researchers, policymakers, practitioners, industry, and citizens—engage as equal partners, exchanging knowledge, experiences, and values to co-produce socially robust knowledge suited to specific local contexts.

We identified four co-learning types based on structural and relational features:

(1)

Interdisciplinary Co-learning—integrating across scientific disciplines.

(2)

Bridging Co-learning—connecting expert and local experiential knowledge through trust-building and participatory dialogue.

(3)

Project-based Co-learning—collaboratively developing solutions with community engagement and empowerment.

(4)

Policy Co-learning—enabling the co-creation of public policy between governments and citizens.

Through field implementation, we developed transferable methods for both Bridging and Project-based Co-learning. In Bridging Co-learning, we succeeded in enhancing community trust in experts and effectively linking technological perspectives with residents’ situated knowledge. In Project-based Co-learning, participants experienced a strengthened sense of attachment to the region and a heightened awareness of contributing to their local community. This transformation also led to the formation of a student-led group committed to ongoing regional engagement and collaboration.

Conclusions: This research provides a refined typology and practical application of co-learning as a mechanism for enabling sustainable and resilient urban and regional transitions. By rooting abstract frameworks in real-world island contexts, it offers actionable insights for designing co-learning platforms that support broader societal transformation.