peer reviewed ; This paper examines a study programme in ‘Sustainability and social innovation’ at the University of Luxembourg that was co-created with key external stakeholders in local sustainability transitions.The programme’s aim is to equip scientists and citizens for the practice of transformative sustainability science to change human environment interactions. Addressing socially salient, complex problems invites a re-conception of what role universities can play in knowledge production processes in more applied and local contexts. We critically discuss the programme’s ambition to provide a platform for transformative social learning for sustainability and to contribute to fostering systemic change in Luxembourg. We deduce design requisites to achieve these ambitions. The paper also discusses the role of different forms of evaluation in effecting individual programme and systemic change. Research insights were drawn from documentary and literature research, concept-building, programme implementation, observation, analysis, and evaluation by students and contributors.