Table of contents

The course is connected to the following study programs

Teaching language

English.

Recommended previous knowledge

SV-156 Foundations of sustainable development and SV-157 Approaches, opportunities, and challenges for sustainable transformation.
NOTE: The courses SV-156 and SV-157are taught sequentially during the semester. In order to take SV-157, students will need to take SV-156 the same semester. In order to take SV-220, students will need to take both SV-156 and SV-157.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, the student should be able to

  • grasp how governance structures affect, enable, and constrain the design and implementation of sustainable development policies
  • apply theoretical concepts to real-life scenarios of sustainable development
  • understand the complex interplay of social, political and cultural factors affecting decision-making and implementation of sustainability policies
  • discuss issues of human, technological and ecological relations, and justice in transformation processes
  • reflect on implications of (un-)sustainable development for politics and society

Contents

This course builds on SV-156 Approaches, opportunities and challenges of sustainable transformation and provides students with the opportunity to discuss, assess and understand the specific challenges of implementing sustainable policies, practices, and projects. The course work evolves around both academic texts and practical cases to understand the complexity of transformation, and to develop both critical analytical abilities and competencies. It particularly encourages students to further engage with projects and research questions already developed in SV-157 Approaches, opportunities, and challenges.

The course allows the students to critically reflect upon the interplay of technological, political, economic, ecological, and social factors that influence the mapping of sustainable futures. Can we simply follow the experts, or do sustainable solutions need to be hammered out in democratic debates? How can we create new arenas for collaboration, new socio-technical experimentation, and governance models? Which actors are empowered in sustainable transformation and who is excluded?

Teaching and learning methods

The course will focus on selected problems and examples of sustainable transformation thus allowing the participants to engage in project -based, participatory learning. The use of advanced teaching methods such as scenario planning, simulations and cross-impact estimation modelling allowing the students to engage with the complexity of real-world problems of implementing sustainable solutions. Estimated workload is 270 hours.

Examinations

Portfolio examination including both group work and individual work, graded A-F. Further information about the portfolio will be given in Canvas.

Student evaluation

The study programme coordinator decides, in cooperation with student representative, the form of student evaluation and whether the course is to have a midway or end of course evaluation in accordance with the quality system for education, chapter 4.1.

Other information

The courses SV-156 and SV-157are taught sequentially during the semester. In order to take SV-157, students will need to take SV-156 the same semester. In order to take SV-220, students will need to take both SV-156 and SV-157.
Last updated from FS (Felles studentsystem) Oct. 15, 2026 11:05:28 AM