Learning objectives
At the end of the course the student will be able to:
D1. Knowledge and understanding
- to understand, to explain and to interpret the concept of sustainable development, its historical path and its scientific assumptions in the environmental, economic and social dimensions;
- to understand their professional and ethical responsibilities (from the perspective of sustainability);
D2. Application skills
- to be able to use specific terms relating to the field of sustainable development;
- to be able to apply the acquired knowledge to elaborate questions, to carry out thoughts and to organize simple documents;
- to be able to analyze (at a basic level) complex systems;
- to be able to recognize and to understand some of the relationships between different areas and/or problems;
- to be able to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems by integrating the skills mentioned above;
- to be able to reflect on their role (as individuals and professionals) within the local community and the (global) society;
D3. Autonomy of judgment
- to be able to critically use data from the literature in the field of sustainability;
- to be able to evaluate and to interpret experimental data from the perspective of sustainability;
- to be able to evaluate one's professional (and ethical) responsibilities in relation to sustainability;
- to be able to reflect on personal values and behaviors, taking a role in relation to sustainability;
D4. Communication skills
- to be able to discuss data and / or problems (related to sustainability) in a clear, concise and possibly effective way, also using IT tools;
- to be able to facilitate a collaborative and participatory approach between different stakeholders in relation to sustainability issues;
D5. Ability to learn
- to be able to study independently, deepening what was discussed in class, also thanks to the documentation provided;
- to be able to keep up-to-date by consulting bibliographic materials and databases on sustainability issues, also participating in seminars or training courses;
- to be able to connect in a transversal way, both at a scientific and methodological level (in the perspective of sustainability), the different topics covered during the course and in other teachings.
Prerequisites
The course, also in light of its transversal and interdisciplinary nature, does not require specific prerequisites.
Course unit content
The course aims to provide the main scientific-methodological aspects that characterize the concept of sustainable development in its environmental, economic and social dimensions.
At the same time, the course aims to provide students with the opportunity to reflect on the challenges that humanity is facing and that shape the 2030 Agenda (action program signed in 2015 by the governments of the 193 UN member countries ) and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These challenges, in fact, if considered in the perspective of sustainability, can be seen as opportunities for a rethinking of the role of each student as a citizen and therefore as a future professional.
Last but not least, in order to give substance to such a broad and complex concept as that of sustainable development, the contents proposed during the course will offer the opportunity to reflect on virtuous experiences and best practices declined both in the institutional and in the corporate context.
Full programme
• Introduction to the Course (objectives, contents and methodologies)
• The historical path of sustainable development.
• The ecological foundations of sustainable development (Physical and chemical limits to the sustainability of ecosystem processes; growth and development of ecosystems)
• The economic foundations of sustainable development
• The social foundations of sustainable development
• The legal / institutional foundations of of sustainable development
• Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable Development as an educational challenge
• The sustainability indicators
• Sustainable development and the agri-food system
• Sustainable development and global health (focus both on human and animal health)
• Sustainable development and climate change
• Case studies: Sustainable development and institutional strategies (Municipality of Parma and University of Parma)
• Case studies: Sustainable development and corporate policies (presented by representatives of some local companies, e.g. Barilla Group, Chiesi Farmaceutici, Davines)
Guided tours to some companies committed to sustainability (if permitted).
Bibliography
Students of the course will be provided an essential bibliography (with indication of monographs and articles relating to the topics covered).
In addition to this:
- specific study materials (if made available by the different teachers);
- slides used to support the lessons;
- the video recording of the lessons or other equivalent audio-video material, arranged by the teacher
will be provided and uploaded to the Elly platform in the days immediately following each lesson.
All the above materials are considered as integral part of the teaching material supporting the individual study.
Students are reminded of the importance of checking the didactic material, as well as any information/communication provided through the Elly platform.
Teaching methods
Teaching activities will be developed by supporting active learning methods (e.g. brainstorming, debriefing) alternated with lessons that will support the continuous involvement of students.
Depending on the training objectives mentioned above and in relation to how the course will be delivered, among the different methods:
- Case studies;
- Seminars on some specific issues
will also be used.
Assessment methods and criteria
In light of the transversal and interdisciplinary perspective of the Course, the summative assessment of learning will consist of an oral exam with questions related to the topics covered during the course. The student will have to demonstrate that he/she has understood and is able to apply the fundamental concepts of the topics covered.
The questions asked during the exam will therefore be aimed at verifying the acquisition of general basic knowledge related to sustainable development in its various dimensions, paying particular attention to the acquisition of the learning objectives indicated above, related to some of the specific sustainability competencies (e.g. systems thinking, critical thinking, self-awareness, integrated problem solving). Particular attention will be paid to the evaluation of the ability to make transversal connections between the topics covered during the lessons.
The evaluation (and then the score) of the oral exam will be communicated immediately at its end.
In addition to the summative assessment, during the course, an ongoing formative assessment (which can be carried out with attending students) will be added, useful for periodically assessing how students are learning. This evaluation will be carried out informally during the lessons (e.g. by starting a discussion and/or asking questions to verify how well the explained concepts have been understood). This evaluation also has the important objective of allowing to put the attention on concepts that have not been adequately understood by students.
If, due to the evolution of the health emergency, it is necessary to use the remote mode for carrying out the exams, the Teams platform will be used in compliance with the Guidelines provided by the University (useful documents for the use of the platform are available at the address http://selma.unipr.it/). Particular attention will be paid to verify the identity of the candidate, through the identification document, which will be made available to the examination board. In this case, punctual indications on how to send this document and on the link to use for the exam will be sent to students enrolled in the exam, upon closing the list on ESSE3.
Other information
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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
The Course is inextricably and constantly related to all the SDGs of the Agenda 2030.
