Sustainable Development has emerged as one of the most important discourses of the 21st century. It is a multi-dimensional concept, which aims to integrate environmental, social and economic objectives, and no single academic discipline definitively addresses its problems or solutions.
Sustainable Development in Northern Europe is a semester-based course – designed, developed and taught for DIS in Copenhagen – which explores the key issues and themes of sustainable development, and develops pragmatic and practical strategies for promoting a more sustainable future.
The course draws on practical case studies as well as academic insights; providing the tools to challenge, and develop critical insights and robust solutions, while preparing students for leading roles in meeting the great challenges of our time.
Experiential learning is a vital element. The course also involves two intensive study tours in Sweden (Malmö & Skåne) and in Germany (Hamburg & Berlin) – along with a range of Field Study visits in Denmark – all designed to enable students to experience and engage, directly, with best practices for sustainable development. Group work and collaborative discussions and exercises lead to further embedded learning.
By the end of this course students are able to:
• Comprehend the underlying concepts, debates and issues informing various actors working to realise sustainability goals.
• Show a critical awareness of the diverse and contested meanings of sustainable development ideas and practices.
• Identify a broad range of Danish and European stakeholders and activities currently shaping the sustainability agenda.
• Compare and contrast sustainability discourses and practices in Denmark and Europe with those in their home nation.
• Locate a broad range of sources of information on sustainability, and to be able to engage in critical and reflective thinking on a sustainability issues.
• Develop and communicate potential strategies for a sustainable future.
• Be prepared for leading roles in dealing with the challenges of the 21st Century.