Understanding Mountains as Living Systems of Knowledge

MountMed conducts interdisciplinary, applied research on mountain territories, focusing on interactions among people, ecosystems, productive systems, cultural landscapes, institutions, local economies, and governance.

The Institute’s research approach is grounded in the territorial perspective of sustainable endogenous development. It integrates the spatial dimension of development by approaching mountain territories as living socio-ecological systems, in which agri-food systems, biodiversity, climate adaptation, cultural heritage, water, energy, mobility, and social cohesion are deeply interlinked.

Applied research aims to produce knowledge that can be used by communities, institutions and policymakers. It supports participatory planning, territorial diagnosis, policy dialogue, technological innovation and practical solutions for life and production in mountain regions. Through this approach, scientific knowledge becomes part of a wider process of collective learning, decision-making and implementation. Research is therefore a means of action: a way to understand territorial challenges, mobilise local knowledge, connect scientific expertise with community experience and support evidence-based pathways for sustainability transitions.