Teaching methods

Lectures: The course will include lectures that introduce general concepts of Sustainability with a focus on real business implications.  The lectures will highly interactive using modern activation techniques and tools to encourage student participation and engagement.

Workshops: The course will include strategic workshops where students will have hands-on experience with practical tools used in designing new strategies and business models within multicultural teams that will be addressing the current issues at hand linked to sustainability. The workshops will be designed to allow students to work in groups and collaborate with each other.

Discussions: The course will include group discussions where students will have the opportunity to share their ideas and perspectives on the topics covered in class and based on the pre-readings. The discussions will be facilitated by the instructor, and they will be designed to encourage critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Business professionals: The course will also include guest lectures from business professionals who will provide real-world insights into the topics covered in class. The guest lectures will be designed to give students an opportunity to learn from industry experts and to network with professionals in the field.

Team project: As a part of the summer school, students will work on a team project that focuses on designing solutions for a company / industry which would be addressing sustainability. The project will be designed to give students hands-on experience in applying the concepts and tools covered in class to a real-world scenario. The project will be presented at the end of the course, and it will be evaluated by the instructor.

Reflection report: Students will be required to write reflection report based on their course experience. This reports will be designed to encourage students to reflect on their own learning and to articulate their thoughts and ideas in writing. The report will be structured to guide students through the process of critical reflection, and they will be graded based on the depth of analysis, coherence, and clarity of expression. The reports will be a valuable tool for students to develop their reflective practice and to improve their analytical and writing skills.

Book discussion: As part of the course, students will read a book related to the future outlook and the general functioning of the world by Distinguished Professor Emeritus and leading multidisciplinary scientist and author who specializes in energy, environmental, and population issues –  Vaclav Smil. No other living scientist has more books on a wide variety of topics reviewed in the leading scientific journal Nature The book is picked by the instructor, and it will be discussed in class in a book discussion session. The book discussion session will be designed to encourage students to engage critically with the ideas presented in the book and to share their thoughts and opinions with their classmates. The session will be facilitated by the instructor and will be structured to guide students through a discussion of the key themes and concepts presented in the book. The book discussion will provide students with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the course material and to engage in a thoughtful and meaningful discussion with their peers.