Course Circle U Sustainable Change-Makers

The course Circle U Sustainable Change-Makers is being offered by the Graduate School of Natural Sciences/GSNS and Graduate School of Technical Sciences/GSTS, Aarhus University, fall 2023.

This course is a Circle U course with a maximum of 45 students out of which 8 participants is allocated to Aarhus University.

Name of course:

Circle U Sustainable Change-Makers

ECTS credits:

3 ECTS

Course parameters:

Language: English

Level of course: PhD course

Time of year: Autumn 2023

No. of contact hours/hours in total incl. preparation, assignment(s) or the like: 36/90

Capacity limits: This course is a Circle U course with a maximum of 45 students out of which 8 are allocated to Aarhus University.

Objectives of the course: The aim of this course is to train the students to include sustainability and the green transition into the development of business solutions. This includes measurable sustainable metrics. The participants will be learning relevant tools while working in multidisciplinary and international teams. Using critical thinking approach and the flipped classroom method, students learn more specifically to identify and critically evaluate sustainable innovation issues within various scenarios, utilizing a wide range of techniques, concepts and models, and then come up with and present innovative solutions and apply competitive strategies using an entrepreneurial mindset.

Learning outcomes and competences:

At the end of the course, the participant should be able to:

• Identify and critically evaluate sustainable innovation issues within various environments, utilizing a wide range of techniques, concepts and models
• Come up with and present innovative solutions and apply competitive strategies using an entrepreneurial mindset
• Describe the benefits of sustainable business models
• Demonstrate an understanding of possible uses of new and emerging technologies in sustained innovation
• Demonstrate an understanding of the special challenges in the implementation of sustainable solutions in healthcare
• Demonstrate an understanding of the modern artificial intelligent solutions taking sustainable challenges into account
• Promote and facilitate the adoption and maintenance of the strong sustainable change maker orientation with measurable sustainability metrics: SDGs (UN sustainable development goals), TBL (Triple Bottom Line), and ESGs (Environmental, social, and corporate governance)
• Summarize various strands of sustainable innovation knowledge and skills in developing an effective business solution with case solving methodology
• Design and perform an efficient business pitch
• Work in international and multidisciplinary teams

Compulsory programme:

Students should attend at least 6 out of the 8 webinar sessions, the three preparatory sessions for the final event, as well as the final event. Group work during the webinars and before the final event is an essential part of the course.

Course contents:

Below is the preliminary course outline, subject to changes throughout the course.

Session 1 (all professors): Icebreaker (2h)

Session 2 (Markus Bugge): Introducing the concept of innovation and its relevance for reaching UNs SDGs (2h webinar)

Session 3 (Amélie Jacquemin): Designing sustainable business models to address sustainability challenges (2h webinar)

Session 4 (Morten Foss): Tackling the greenhouse effect by technological solutions (2h webinar)

Session 5 (Nicolas Loménie): Using the intelligence of machines and robotics to address sustainability challenges (2h webinar)

Session 6 (Viktoria Nagy): Designing sustainable healthcare solutions (2h webinar)

Session 7 (Vesna Damnjanović): Providing innovative and sustainable solutions to business problems using case solving as critical thinking approach (2h webinar)

Session 8 (Viktoria Nagy): Creating and pitching a sustainable innovation project (2h webinar)

Following the 8 webinar sessions, the students will identify and work on a challenge (case). At the final event (physical event, Louvain-la-Neuve) the students pitch their idea for a solution as well as suggesting new resources for the future course (2 day event).

Prerequisites:

The course will be taught at PhD level - at least a Bachelor’s degree is required

Name of lecturers:

• Associate Professor Markus Bugge, Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture, University of Oslo
• Associate Professor Amélie Jacquemin, Louvain School of Management, UCLouvain
• Senior Researcher Morten Foss, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University
• Associate Professor Nicolas Loménie, Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences, Université Paris Cité
• Professor Vesna Damnjanović, Department of Marketing Management and Public Relations, University of Belgrade
• Professor Viktoria Nagy, Medical Faculty, Université Paris Cité

Type of course/teaching methods:

Combination of literature search, introductory videos, webinar lectures, and study groups (online) and a final event (at Université Catholique Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve).

Literature:

1-2 key articles as well as introductory videos for each webinar covering the field/area.

Course homepage:

To be established

Course assessment:

Pass/fail based on attendance. Attendance threshold is 6 out of the 8 webinar sessions as well as participation at the final event.

Provider:

Circle U

Special comments on this course:

Students will be prioritised based on motivational letter.

Time:

The webinars are organized from 27 September 2023 to 15 November 2023. The format is a two-hour webinar on every Wednesday from 6 to 8 PM. The final event at a Circle U partner (University Université Catholique Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve) will take place on the dates Monday 11 December 6 pm to 13 December 2023 2 pm (to be finally confirmed).

Place:

Online webinar series and one final event with physical presence (dates to be confirmed by Université Catholique Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve)

No show fee:

A no-show fee is introduced at the transferable skills courses for course participants who do not show up at the course or cancel their course participation after the course registration deadline – unless they can provide a doctor’s note. The no-show fee will be DKK 1,200 (the price of one ECTS). The no-show fee is introduced because of many late cancellations, thus preventing people from the waiting lists to have a seat in the course.

Registration:

• Participation in the course is without cost for PhD students from Aarhus University

Students from other Circle U universities are exempt from paying as well, but must register through the university at which they are enrolled at the Circle U web-site. Due to an Agreement between Danish Universities coming into force as of 1 January 2011, participants from other universities than Aarhus University will have to pay DKK 1,200 per ECTS. In principle this also applies to external parties, but exemption can be granted under specific circumstances.

Please be aware that your registration for the course not necessarily equals your admission for the course. You will receive an e-mail after the registration deadline regarding whether you are admitted for the course or if you are registered on the waiting list.

Deadline for registration is 1st of September 2023. Information regarding admission will be sent out no later than 5th of September.

For registration: contact Morten Foss, iNANO for registration details: foss@inano.au.dk                

If you have any questions, please contact course administrator Lena Melchior, lena@au.dk.

Course dates:

• 27 September 2023 18:00 - 20:00
• 04 October 2023 18:00 - 20:00
• 11 October 2023 18:00 - 20:00
• 18 October 2023 18:00 - 20:00
• 25 October 2023 18:00 - 20:00
• 01 November 2023 18:00 - 20:00
• 08 November 2023 18:00 - 20:00
• 15 November 2023 18:00 - 20:00