Content

Our current lifestyle and economic model all too often still causes greenhouse gas emissions, environmental pollution, and social inequalities. Transitioning towards a sustainable society and economy is crucial to preserve the planet and to guarantee that future generations can enjoy a decent life and prosperity. The coming decade is crucial to set course towards this sustainable future and to accelerate the sustainability transition. This requires action from all political, societal, and economic actors. Against this backdrop, students will be faced with questions pertaining to how we can implement the necessary changes in the diverse career paths on which they will embark after their studies. This skills lab aims to prepare students for these challenges. They will learn how to analyze various kinds of situations in the private and public sector with regards to their sustainability. Students will acquire and train the necessary skills to draft impactful and targeted documents such as policy briefs, briefings, strategies, and action plans.

Course material

All study material can be found on the online learning platform Toledo with an indication of whether it is compulsory or recommended:

• Each session consists of one or multiple online modules and a class meeting.
• Students must complete the online modules prior to a specified deadline. The online modules consist of texts, videos, discussion questions, quizzes, and case studies. Completion of the online modules is essential to be able to engage in the class discussions and exercises.
• The online modules prepare the class meetings during which the questions, case studies, and tasks will be discussed.

The electronic learning platform Toledo is used for:

• Sharing the online modules that are a core part of each session;
• Communicating information about the assignments;
• Uploading assignments.

Format: more information

The course consists of online modules and class meetings. Each online module prepares a class meeting and needs to be completed prior to the respective class meeting. The online modules can include short assignments and tasks that must be completed and submitted by a specified deadline. Students must complete all online modules and participate in the class meetings. Should for valid reasons participation in the class meetings be impossible, compensation assignments can be foreseen. Such exceptions can only be granted based on a recommendation by the faculty’s ombudsperson prior to the respective session.

Students will be asked to submit three papers that are linked to the class discussions and exercises. The exact tasks for the assignments will be posted on Toledo in November. The first two assignments each count for 30% of the final mark and the third assignment for 40%.

The class meetings will start with a brief recap of the topic and then move to the discussion of real-life situations in the realm sustainability. During the class meetings, the necessary skills to complete the assignments will be practiced in small groups. Students must prepare the class meetings as described in the respective online module(s). During the meetings, small groups will be asked to jointly complete different tasks, which can consist of providing advice to a policy-maker, developing a strategy, and preparing an action plan. Those authentic writing assignments help students practice job-related skills and train their critical reflection abilities by applying the gained knowledge to concrete and real cases.

This course is organized in the form of block teaching and will run for four weeks in December (= the last four weeks prior to the Christmas break).