Circle U. is launching the second edition of the Sustainable Change-Makers Programme. It is a webinar series open to all Circle U. master's and PhD students regardless of their background. The programme starts on September 27, 2023. Students must attend a 2-hour webinar every Wednesday from 6 to 8 PM - CET Time. The webinars run entirely online. The programme ends with a compulsory in-person final event in Louvain (Belgium) on December 11-13, 2023.
Course parameters:
Language: English
Level of course: Master/PhD course
Time of year: Autumn 2023
Number of students per university: 6
Workload, incl. preparation, assignment(s) or the like: 36/90
Objectives of the course: This course aims to train students to include sustainability and the green transition into developing business solutions. This includes measurable sustainable metrics. The participants will learn relevant tools while working in multidisciplinary and international teams. Using the critical thinking approach and the flipped classroom method, students learn more specifically to identify and critically evaluate sustainable innovation issues within various scenarios, utilising 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 competencies:
At the end of the course, the participant should be able to:
- Identify and critically evaluate sustainable innovation issues within various environments, utilising 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 modern artificial intelligent solutions, taking sustainable challenges into account
- Promote and facilitate the adoption and maintenance of a 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 a case-solving methodology
- Design and perform an efficient business pitch
- Work in international and multidisciplinary teams
Compulsory programme:
Students will attend at least 6 of the 8 webinar sessions, the three preparatory sessions for the final event, and the final event. Group work during the webinars and before the final event is essential to the course.
Course contents:
Below is the preliminary course outline, subject to changes throughout the course.
27.th of September
Session 1 (all professors): Icebreaker (2h)
4.th of October
Session 2 (Markus Bugge): Introducing the concept of innovation and its relevance for reaching UNs SDGs (2h webinar)
11.th of October
Session 3 (Vesna Damnjanović): Providing innovative and sustainable solutions to business problems using case solving as a critical thinking approach (2h webinar)
18.th of October
Session 4 (Viktoria Nagy): Creating and pitching a sustainable innovation project (2h webinar)
25.th of October
Session 5 (Amélie Jacquemin): Designing sustainable business models to address sustainability challenges (2h webinar)
1.st of November
Session 6 (Morten Foss): Tackling the greenhouse effect by technological solutions (2h webinar)
8.th of November
Session 7 (Nicolas Loménie): Using the intelligence of machines and robotics to address sustainability challenges (2h webinar)
15.th of November
Session 8 (Viktoria Nagy): Designing sustainable healthcare solutions (2h webinar)
11.th – 13.th of December
Final event at Université Catholique Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium)
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 ideas for a solution and suggest new resources for the future course (2-day event).
Prerequisites:
The course will be taught at Master’s & PhD levels - at least a Bachelor’s degree is required
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
- Full 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 and introductory videos to be read/watched before each webinar covering the field/area.
Course assessment:
Pass/fail based on attendance. Attendance threshold is 6 out of the 8 webinar sessions and participation at the final event.
Provider:
Circle U.
Time:
The webinars are organised from 27 September 2023 to 15 November 2023. The format is a two-hour webinar every Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. The final event at a Circle U partner (Université Catholique Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve) will take place from Monday, 11 December, at 6 p.m. to Wednesday, 13 December 2023, at 2 p.m. (to be finally confirmed).
Place:
Online webinar series and one in-person final event (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 or cancel their course participation after the course registration deadline – unless they can provide a doctor’s note. The no-show fee is introduced because of many late cancellations, thus preventing people from the waiting lists from having a seat in the course.
Application:
Participation in the course is free for Master’s and PhD students from the Circle U. universities.
To apply, email a 500-word motivation letter to your local coordinator (Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo.). Please always cc Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo..
Six students will be selected from among the submitted applications.
Three more students will be on a waiting list in case one of the first six selected renounces.
Students will be prioritised based on motivation letters.
IMPORTANT: To apply does not necessarily mean admission to the course. A few days after the application deadline, you will receive an e-mail regarding whether you are admitted to the course or registered on the waiting list.
The deadline for applications is September Sunday, 17th, at 23:59.