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All courses and programmes

Micro-credential in Sustainability

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Please note: at this time the Micro-credential programme (resulting in a certificate of completion) is limited to 300 degree students of Una Europa partner universities, Climate university and Biodiversity network. The courses are open for all.

Enrollment for the Micro-credential through this link.

Enroll to every course individually. Una europa students are required to use their university email for all registrations.

1. Introduction to Sustainability 3 ECTS

The course is free for all students of all Una Europa partner universities, Climate University, and Biodiversity Education Network. For students outside these institutions the study fee is 45 €.

How can I start the course?

Enrollment for the course after completion on the courses.mooc.fi platform!

1. Study the course on the online learning environment courses.mooc.fi

Create a new mooc.fi account or log in (if you have existing mooc.fi credentials). Una Europa students are required to use their university domain address (e.g. firstname.lastname@helsinki.fi).

Learning outcomes

After the course, you will be familiar with sustainable development as a political and normative concept, and recognises its ecological, social, economic and cultural dimensions and the connections and conflicts related to them. You will understand that sustainable development and the wicked problems related to it, such as climate change, require multidisciplinary cooperation and problem-solving skills. You will understand the significance of individual agency and global responsibility as well as the need for comprehensive transformation.

Course content

The course consists of the following parts:

  1. Sustainable development as a concept and in politics
  2. Ecological sustainability
  3. Social sustainability
  4. Economic sustainability
  5. Cultural sustainability
  6. Towards a sustainable future

Course completion methods

Quizzes, other small exercises and assignments with peer-review are required to complete the course.

Assessment practices and criteria

The course is assessed as pass/fail.

2. After completion mooc.fi platform will inform you and give you the relevant enrollment information. Please use the correct link to enroll in order to receive your credits from University of Helsinki.

2. Climate.now 2 ECTS

The course is free for all students of all Una Europa partner universities, Climate University, and Biodiversity Education Network. For students outside these institutions the study fee is 30 €.

How can I start the course?

Enrollment for the course after completion on the courses.mooc.fi platform!

1. Study the course on the online learning environment courses.mooc.fi

Create a new mooc.fi account or log in (if you have existing mooc.fi credentials). Una Europa students are required to use their university domain address (e.g. firstname.lastname@helsinki.fi).

Learning outcomes

After studying the course, you will be able to examine climate change from many different perspectives and create connections between them as well as look for solutions to the climate challenge in a variety of ways. You will reflect on your role in climate change and apply what has been learned on the course to your field of study. You will be able to examine different perspectives, solutions, information sources and the current debate on climate change critically.

Course content

Climate change is a multidimensional topic with several cross-disciplinary challenges. The content and learning outcomes of the Climate.now are based on the understanding of

  • climate change as a scientific phenomenon
  • how it can be prevented (mitigation), and
  • how adaptation is possible.

In addition to providing the basic knowledge, another equally important goal is to reinforce your understanding of climate change as a deep human and societal challenge and to give you the means to participate in resolving it.

Course completion methods

You will complete the course by reading the online material, watching the videos, and completing quizzes and other online assignments.

Assessment practices and criteria

The course is assessed as pass/fail.

2. After completion mooc.fi platform will inform you and give you the relevant enrollment information. Please use the correct link to enroll
in order to receive your credits from University of Helsinki.

3. Biodiversity.now 2 ECTS

How can I start the course?

Please note: There are separate mooc-platforms for the fall and spring semesters. The mooc-platform is operated by University of Helsinki in the fall and by University of Eastern Finland in the spring. Studies must be started and completed either in the fall or in the spring.
Course progress made in 2022 will not carry over to 2023!

1. Enroll to the course through the proper link:

Link for ALL degree students of all Una Europa partner universities.
ALL OTHER STUDENTS including students of Climate University and Biodiversity Education Network enroll through University of Eastern Finland.

2. Study the course on the online learning environment. Create a new DigiCampus account or log in (if you have existing DigiCampus credentials). Una Europa students are required to use their university domain address (e.g. firstname.lastname@helsinki.fi).

Link to Digicampus -course platform
Please note: spring course opens 2. January 2023
(Course requires enrollment key which will be sent to new enrolled students every Monday.)

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, you should be able to:

  • recognize reasons for the ongoing biodiversity crisis and its consequences to the human society and personal life
  • explore your own connection to nature and diverse values one assigns to it
  • recognize a variety of approaches and tools to maintain and enhance biodiversity, and promote sustainable use of biodiversity
  • apply expertise from your own field of studies or work and learn how to be part of the solution to the biodiversity crisis

Course content

The course consists of six modules:

  • Basic knowledge
  • Biodiversity crises
  • Threats and consequences
  • Biodiversity conservation
  • Biodiversity then and now
  • Reflection

A diverse group of experts in various fields coming from across Europe highlight the key issues of relevance. The focus is on encouraging you to think about biodiversity from your field perspective and personal interests.

Each module contains short presentations, obligatory and optional reading material and H5P-tasks.

Course completion methods

Completion of the course requires passing the quizzes in their order, as well as completing all H5P-tasks and discussion forum tasks.

Assessment practices and criteria

The course is assessed as pass/fail. Based on the completion of all tasks.

After completion enrolled students will receive their credits monthly from University of Helsinki.

4. Political Economy of Sustainability 2 ECTS

The course is free for all students of all Una Europa partner universities, Climate University, and Biodiversity Education Network. For students outside these institutions the study fee is 30 €.

How can I start the course?

1. Enroll to the course through the proper link:

Link for ALL degree students of all Una Europa partner universities.
Link for students of Climate University and Biodiversity Education Network. (Please note that you need to have applied for student status at
University of Helsinki. Instructions on Programme information -page.)
Link for students outside these institutions.

2. Study the course on the online learning environment. Create a new Copernicus College account or log in (if you have existing Copernicus College credentials). Una Europa students are required to use their university domain address (e.g. firstname.lastname@helsinki.fi).

Link to course platform.

Learning outcomes

After the course, you will understand the mechanisms in which contemporary economic system leads to environmental, social and financial unsustainability. You will be aware of principles and solutions of alternative economic modes, including degrowth and circular economies. You will be able to evaluate critically economic strategies, production structures and governance of businesses and trade in terms of sustainability. You will recognize the methods of analysis and design of sustainable organizations, policies and strategies.

Course content

The MOOC, in English, is articulated in 15 modules/lectures.

Each module includes:

  • Three 15 min. video-lectures (45 min. in total)
  • Slides and additional materials
  • Compulsory and voluntary activities for students

Modules' topics:

  1. Economics as a science of social provisioning
  2. Political economy of capitalism – how the system works?
  3. Challenges – where are we now?
  4. Social sustainability
  5. Environmental sustainability
  6. Economic sustainability
  7. Global inequalities and impacts
  8. Existing measures beyond GDP: Happiness and well-being as the main goals of sustainability
  9. Measurement for sustainability – how to construct indicators? Where to look for data?
  10. Energy flows and environmental pressure: stylized facts and data sources
  11. Energy flows and environmental pressure: measurement activities
  12. Designing sustainable organizations and practices
  13. State: public policies and regulations
  14. Grassroots Organizations for Sustainability (unions, governing the commons, cooperatives)
  15. Future of sustainable economic systems

Course completion methods

You are required to follow the full MOOC and watch all videos. You are required to pass the 15 self-examinations short quizzes at the end of each module, and to complete a final exam (multiple-choice).

Assessment practices and criteria

The course is assessed as pass/fail.

The course assessment is based on multiple choices questions through which you will show that you are able to identify some of the major issues discussed by the teachers, as well as prove that you have memorized some of the information given.

After completion enrolled students will receive their credits monthly from University of Helsinki.

5. Sustainability and the Arts 1 ECTS

The course is free for all students of all Una Europa partner universities, Climate University, and Biodiversity Education Network. For students outside these institutions the study fee is 15 €.

How can I start the course?

1. Enroll to the course:

Link for ALL degree students of all Una Europa partner universities.
Link
for students of Climate University and Biodiversity Education Network. (Please note that you need to have applied for student status at
University of Helsinki. Instructions on Programme information -page.)
Link for students outside these institutions.

2. Study the course on the learning environment. Create a new BOOK Unibo Open Knowledge account or log in (if you have existing BOOK credentials). Una Europa students are required to use their university domain address (e.g. firstname.lastname@helsinki.fi).

Link to course on Unibo Open Knowledge

Learning outcomes

You will learn about recent artistic responses to issues of sustainability as they have been developed by contemporary visual artists, architects, filmmakers and media professionals, as well as within social movements and activist practices. You will understand the social and political role of images in the ecological crisis and how the arts are more and more involved in developing responses to dominant narratives, or else in developing counter-discourses that might eventually have a deep impact on the collective unconscious and on transnational policies.

Course content

The course is based on an interdisciplinary approach at the crossroads of visual studies, cultural studies, contemporary art history, contemporary architecture history, film and media studies, and political theory.

The MOOC, in English, is articulated in 4 units titled "perceptions", "reactions", "productions", and "solutions". Each unit comprises 4 modules, each tackling an essential aspect of that unit’s central theme from a different disciplinary perspective (visual arts, architecture, cinema/media, political history/theory).

Each module includes:

  • A 7-8 minute front-view video-lecture
  • 5-8 slides including text, images or short videos

Course completion methods

In order to complete the MOOC you are required to follow the full MOOC, which is articulated into 4 units of 4 modules each. Students will be required to pass the 4 self-examinations tests placed at the end each of the 4 units.

Assessment practices and criteria

The course is assessed as pass/fail.

The course assessment is based on multiple choices questions through which you will show that you are able to identify some of the major issues discussed by the teachers, as well as prove that you have memorized some of the information given.