Solutions.now (5cr)

Objective

The student will Overarching learning goal is being able to mitigate and solve sustainability problems. 1. Systems thinking competence: Having completed the course, the student is able to understand structure and dynamics of complex systems related to solving sustainability challenges in a real-life project. ● Student can describe given sustainability challenges from multiple perspectives. 2. Anticipatory competence: After the course, the student is able to anticipate possible and/or sustainable futures related to solving practical sustainability challenges. ● Student can apply his/her knowledge in order to predict possible outcomes of sustainability projects and compare those with alternative scenarios. ● Student is able to manage expectations and anticipated results of projects. 3. Normative competence: Having completed the course, the student is able to differentiate, justify, and apply values and goals for sustainability. ● Student can approach sustainability challenges from a normative perspective and recognize the different values guiding the project at hand. 4. Strategic competence: Having completed the course, the student is able to create transition and intervention strategies to enact change. ● Student understands the basic principles of project management and can plan and lead a project from beginning to end. ● Student feels comfortable using different project management tools and understands the basics of working with companies and other stakeholders. ● Student is able to reflect on, and deal with, possible risks. 5. Interpersonal competence: After the course, the student has developed his/her communicative and collaborative skills. ● Student is able to organize and manage working in a multi-disciplinary team of individuals. ● Student understands the basics of projects’ internal and external communications. ● Student can apply collaborative working methods in his/her work.

Content

In this course, students will work in multi-disciplinary teams, each team dedicated to one sustainability project. Projects will be based on real-life climate or sustainability challenges given by companies or other work-life collaborators, who want to make a positive impact with their business. As an outcome of this course, students will be able to mitigate and solve climate and sustainability problems and have developed their project management skills. I. Orientation phase Understand: ● Problem- and project-based learning method ● Sustainability competencies and learning objectives ● Sustainability challenge – how is it different from other challenges? ● How to work with companies Do: ● Team building (code of cooperation; clarifying expectations; building trust) ● Formalizing the partnership with stakeholders Reflect: ● Personal goals and objectives for course ● Meaning of sustainability for me II. Framing the project Understand: ● Different methodological frameworks and methods for project work (e.g. descriptive- analytical, normative, and instructional methods) ● Project management techniques and tools ● Methods and tools for solving sustainability problems Do: ● Defining challenges with companies ● Defining challenges as sustainability challenges ● Reviewing required and available expertise and developing project-management plan Reflect: ● Expectations and anticipated results of project ● Anticipated risks and how to tackle them III. Doing the project Understand: ● Collaborative tools for teamwork ● Prototyping, testing feasibility of solution ● Project communication Do: ● Testing the solution + peer-review from stakeholders/experts ● Documenting the process ● Delivering results Reflect: ● Assessment of project ● Personal development and sustainability competencies ● Positive ecological footprint? IV. Implementation: ● How to continue from here?

Materials

Materials given by teacher

Further information

Priority to the master’s degree students of Accounting and Finance, Innovation Management, International Business, Sustainability Leadership, minor students of Sustainable Business and Society and exchange students in business school

Execution methods

Online course, see study methods and evaluation criteria

Accomplishment methods

The course consists of three online sessions and online learning material. Students write a learning diary individually and work in small groups to make one project work that will be presented at the end of course. The small groups make project plan, report, and a blog article about their project. Remote participation is possible. Assessment practices and criteria: Grading scale 1-5 Self- and peer-assesment 30% Teacher's assessment 40% Client's assessment 30% Activities and methods in support of learning 5 credits = 5 x 27 hr = 135 hr Contact lessons 32 hr (4x2hr lessons and 8x3hr mentoring session) Teamwork 70 hr Individual work 30 hr