Study Guide

Objectives (course unit)

The overarching learning goal is being able to mitigate and solve sustainability problems. Learning takes place in a variety of ways: by self-study but also by learning from peers.

Key competences developed on the course:

1. Creativity competence: Having completed the course, the student is able to combine knowledge from different fields to come up with novel solutions to sustainability problems. Student is familiar with different creative problem-solving tools.

2. Initiative competence: This project course is a flexible model for learning that does not offer straightforward answers but motivates the students to work towards goals and take responsibility of their work and learning.

3. 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. Students have improved their critical thinking.

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. Student is able to manage expectations and anticipated results of projects.

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 (course unit)

Solutions.now is a project course where students can take their expertise in sustainability and climate change into action by offering solutions for real-life challenges presented by companies or other employers/organisations. Students from several universities work together with their project in multidisciplinary groups in connection with the company. The course offers possibilities for students and as well for the companies to make a difference by inventing new, more sustainable solutions. Also for a teacher it is exciting to be involved as a mentor in this process and to be able to follow and support the projects.

Prerequisites (course unit)

Pre-requisities: Climate.now, Sustainable.now, Circular.now or similar knowledge

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2) (course unit)

1.Creativity competence:
Not really able to combine knowledge from different fields to come up with novel solutions to sustainability problems.
Poorly familiar with different creative problem-solving tools.
2. Initiative competence:
Not really able to work towards goals and to take responsibility of own work and learning.
3. Systems thinking competence:
Not really able to understand structure and dynamics of complex systems related to solving sustainability challenges in a real-life project.
Not really able to describe given sustainability challenges from multiple perspectives.
No so good in critical thinking.
4. Strategic competence:
Not able to create transition and intervention strategies to enact change.
Does not really understands the basic principles of project management and cannot plan and lead a project from beginning to end.
Student feels uncomfortable using different project management tools and does not understand the basics of working with companies and other stakeholders.
Student is not able to reflect on, and deal with, possible risks.
Student is not able to manage expectations and anticipated results of projects.
5. Interpersonal competence:
Poor communicative and collaborative skills.
Student is not so able to organize and manage working in a multi-disciplinary team of individuals.
Student does not really understand the basics of projects’ internal and external communications.
Student cannot really apply collaborative working methods in his/her work.

Assessment criteria, good (3-4) (course unit)

1.Creativity competence:
Able to combine knowledge from different fields to come up with novel solutions to sustainability problems.
Familiar with different creative problem-solving tools.
2. Initiative competence:
Able to work towards goals and to take responsibility of own work and learning.
3. Systems thinking competence:
Able to understand structure and dynamics of complex systems related to solving sustainability challenges in a real-life project.
Able to describe given sustainability challenges from multiple perspectives.
Good in critical thinking.
4. Strategic competence:
Able to create transition and intervention strategies to enact change.
Does 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 does understand the basics of working with companies and other stakeholders.
Student is able to reflect on, and deal with, possible risks.
Student is able to manage expectations and anticipated results of projects.
5. Interpersonal competence:
Good communicative and collaborative skills.
Student is able to organize and manage working in a multi-disciplinary team of individuals.
Student does understand the basics of projects’ internal and external communications.
Student can apply collaborative working methods in his/her work.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5) (course unit)

1.Creativity competence:
Able to combine really well knowledge from different fields to come up with novel solutions to sustainability problems.
Very familiar with different creative problem-solving tools and is able to use them well.
2. Initiative competence:
Excellent in working towards goals and taking responsibility of own work and learning.
3. Systems thinking competence:
Able to understand very well the structure and dynamics of complex systems related to solving sustainability challenges in a real-life project.
Able to solve given sustainability challenges from multiple perspectives.
Excellent in critical thinking.
4. Strategic competence:
Very good in creating transition and intervention strategies to enact change.
Does understands the principles of project management very well and can plan and lead a project from beginning to end.
Student feels very comfortable using different project management tools and does understand the basics of working with companies and other stakeholders.
Student is very capable to reflect on, and deal with, possible risks.
Student is very capable to manage expectations and anticipated results of projects.
5. Interpersonal competence:
Very good communicative and collaborative skills.
Student is very capable to organize and manage working in a multi-disciplinary team of individuals.
Student is very good in projects’ internal and external communications.
Student can very well apply collaborative working methods in his/her work.

Location and time

Solutions.now is an e-course (online study course). Course starts on 19.3.2024. The course lasts for 9 weeks so it finalized by 14.5.2024.

Exam schedules

No exam.
As this is an online course based on tasks:
- You don't have the possibility to raise your final grade or a grade for an individual task.

Assessment methods and criteria

Assessment basis
Self and peer assessment 30%
Teacher assessment 40%
Client assessment 30%

Assessment scale

0-5

Teaching methods

STUDY METHODS: Students from four UASs work in multi-disciplinary teams, each team dedicated to one sustainability project. They get to experience how it feels like to use their knowledge to make a positive impact on the world. Additionally, there are articles to read, videos to watch etc. online. There will be online meetings with the teachers during the study weeks as well as online meetings with the team.

TEACHNING METHODS: Innovation pedagogy. This means that the learning takes place in a variety of ways: by self-study but also by learning from peers. This is a flexible model for learning that does not offer straightforward answers but motivates the students to work towards goals and take responsibility of their work and learning.

Learning materials

Available at Digicampus platform

Student workload

Informed on the Digicampus platform.

The course is of 5 ECTS so the workload is 135 hours all together.

There will be online lectures and course work on some selected Tuesday evenings during that 9 week period (15 hours).
Other work (120 hours) on the course will also be online but you can do those in your own time and also in groups regarding the assignment.

Content scheduling

SPRING 2024 CALENDAR

Dates, Online sessions
19.3. klo 17-20 kick-off and introduction of challenges
2.4. klo 17-20 workshop with companies
16.4. klo 17-20 mentoring and working as a team
7.5. klo 17-20 mentoring and working as a team
14.5. klo 17-20 final seminar

Completion alternatives

None