Syllabus for Global Challenges and Sustainable Futures

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• from a multidisciplinary perspective account for the present sustainability challenge in a global context;
• account for different causes to and possible solutions to the sustainability challenge in a specific city or region, and be able to relate these to global challenges within the sustainability field;
• reflect and critically relate to his/her own role relating to the causes and solutions of the sustainability challenge;
• discuss and relate to different visions and ideas about what a sustainable future could entail.

Content

The course gives a broad orientation to the complex sustainability challenge's. In a multidisciplinary lecture series with invited guest lecturers, the most serious present day and future environment, development and sustainability problems are discussed. In the form of seminars, proposed sustainable solutions to these problems are discussed and prepared. Through case studies global challenges are related to local and regional sustainability challenges. In exercises and group discussions, the students are encouraged to self-reflection and personal positions.

Instruction

The teaching consists of lectures, seminars and workshops. The lectures are given by guest lecturers from different academic disciplines and other relevant societal sectors. The course stimulates active student participation and self-reflection.

Assessment

Students are examined through written preparation and active participation in seminars and workshops (3 credits) and at the end of the course through written and oral presentation of projects (4,5 credits).