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 2022.

Course parameters:

Level of course: PhD course

No. of contact hours/hours in total incl. preparation, assignment(s) or the like: 34/87

Capacity limits: This course is a Circle U course with a maximum of 30 students out of which 6 participants is allocated to Aarhus University.

Objectives of the course: The aim of this course is to train the students to become sustainable change-makers. The participants will be learning relevant tools while working in multidisciplinary and international teams. Using critical thinking approach and 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 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
• Work in international and multidisciplinary teams

Compulsory programme:

The student should attend at least 5 out of the 7 webinar sessions as well as the final event. Work in groups at 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 (Taran Thune): Introducing the concept of innovation and its relevance for reaching UNs SDGs (2h webinar)

Session 2 (Amélie Jacquemin): Identifying specific societal problems requiring innovative solutions (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 nanotechnology (2h webinar)

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

Session 6 (Vesna Damnjanović): Providing innovative and sustainable solutions to business problems using case solving as critical thinking approach (2h webinar)

Session 7 (Viktoria Nagy): Creating and pitching a sustainable innovation project (2h webinar)

Following the 7 webinar sessions, the students will identify and work on a challenge (case). At the final event (physical event, at the Circle U partner University UCLouvain) 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:

• Professor Dr. Taran Thune, Faculty of Social Sciences, 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 the Circle U partner University UCLouvain).

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

Course homepage: To be established

Course assessment: Pass/no pass based on attendance. Attendance threshold is 5 out of the 7 webinar sessions as well as participation at the final event.

Provider: Circle U

Special comments on this course: Students will be prioritised based on first-come-first-served.

Time: The webinars are organised from 1 October to 16 November 2022. The format is a two-hour webinar on every Wednesday from 6 to 8 PM. The final event at the Circle U partner University UCLouvain will take place in the week 12-16 December 2022.

Place: Online webinar series and one final event with physical presence (at the Circle U partner University UCLouvain)

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 at the courses.

Registration:
Participation in the course is without cost for PhD students from Aarhus University.

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. PhD students from other Circle U universities are exempt from paying as well, but must register through the university at which they are enrolled.

Deadline for registration is Thursday, 1 September 2022. Information regarding admission will be sent out no later than Tuesday, 20 September 2022. Please note that seats are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

For registration: Contact Academic Chair Morten Foss, e-mail: foss@inano.au.dk

If you have any questions, please contact Academic Chair Morten Foss, e-mail: foss@inano.au.dk

Course dates:

• 05 October 2022 18:00 - 20:00
• 12 October 2022 18:00 - 20:00
• 19 October 2022 18:00 - 20:00
• 26 October 2022 18:00 - 20:00
• 02 November 2022 18:00 - 20:00
• 09 November 2022 18:00 - 20:00
• 16 November 2022 18:00 - 20:00