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Open for the Climate

A government mission to create open online education for climate change. Nine higher education institutions in collaboration to create a wide range of education in dialogue with relevant organizations in business and the surrounding society. The assignment is coordinated by Uppsala University. The aim is to enable shorter further education in relevant areas, such as engineering, science, procurement law, computer science and urban social planning etc. The courses developed are presented here.

Responding to the metacrisis – untangling myths and values to help us navigate our future

This is a course for professionals and PhD students seeking a wider understanding of our current global predicaments, how to make sense of them, and how to respond. The first module introduces the Anthropocene, The Great Acceleration, Planetary Boundaries along with causal relationships between energy, technology, economy, values and the human and more-than-human experience. The second module explores how our own cognition, values, norms and emotions guide our responses to the crises of our time, and how we can formulate coherent responses based on our experiences. The third introduces a way of reasoning about the world in terms of interconnected systems instead of independent problems, and explores what such a view means for us. The course is run online with 2h highly interactive seminars connected to each module along with recorded material, readings and exercises.

Risk Management of Work-Related Injuries using RAMP II

Improve work environments using RAMP (Risk management Assessment tool for Manual handling Proactively)! In this course, you learn to use all four modules in the RAMP tool to manage musculoskeletal (MSD) risks. This includes, for example, how to present results from risk assessments and how to create action plans for improvement. MSDs are one of the most common reasons for absence from work today. It leads to reduced productivity and quality losses at companies, as well as increased medical costs. This course is part two of a RAMP program. The other courses are Assessment of Work-Related Injury Risks using RAMP I and Proficiency in using RAMP for Risk Management of Work-Related Injuries.

Sustainable Cities and Communities Specialization

WHat you will learn Increased knowledge on sustainable cities and communities. Deeper understanding of the relationship between urbanization, decarbonisation and sustainability. Improved critical thinking on the opportunities and challenges for sustainable cities and communities as engines for greening the economy. Expanded ability to use systems thinking to assess sustainable cities and communities.   About this SpecializationIn this specialization you will learn how to drive change in cities and communities towards sustainable, climate friendly, just, healthy and prosperous futures, and you will boost your career with new knowledge, understanding and skills for navigating urban transformations. This specialisation brings together a series of cutting-edge courses with world-leading teachers on cities, communities, sustainability, governance and innovation. This specialization is offered by the IIIEE at Lund University and the City Futures Academy – an online learning community on urban transformations. Our flagship course, Greening the Economy: Sustainable Cities, is ranked in the Best Online Courses of All Time by Class Central. The ranking by Class Central contains 250 courses from 100 universities based on 170,000 reviews. Our specialisation builds on the success of the Greening the Economy: Sustainable Cities course.  A key approach embedded in the courses in this specialisation is the role of experimentation in urban transformations. In particular, urban living labs are highlighted as a means for catalysing change in cities and communities towards sustainable, climate friendly, just, healthy and prosperous futures. The experimentation within urban living labs offers the potential for accelerating transformations and systematic learning across urban and national contexts. Applied Learning Project Learners are introduced to key facts and insights about sustainable cities and communities as engines for greening the economy, then tasked with developing this understanding through readings and practice exercises that highlight the role of urban living labs in creating sustainable cities and communities. Specifically, you will learn: how to work with greening the economy through cities and communities; how to design and implement urban living labs for accelerating change in cities and communities; how to build resilience and create a host of benefits from nature-based solutions in cities and communities; and how to influence consumption patterns in cities and communities through sharing practices . Further documentaries and quizzes will provide you with critical thinking and a broader and deeper perspective that are essential to understanding and creating sustainable cities and communities. 

Sustainable Food Systems in the Baltic Sea Region

This is an introductory course on the history, social, economic, and ecological aspects of food production in the Baltic Sea Region. The course  also focuses on future challenges, such as food security and climate change. The course consists of four parts. -The history of agriculture in the Baltic Sea Region -Ecological, economic and social aspects of food systems -The challenges of sustainable food systems - now and tomorrow -Examples from the region Upon completion of the course, students can request a digital certificate by contacting pontus.ambros@balticuniv.uu.se

Sustainable metrics supported by the Green Performance Map

This course is taught in Swedish. Get started with measuring and running a systematic sustainability program! This course is mainly aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises. Using concrete tools such as the Green Performance Map (GPM) and Quality Function Deployment (QFD), you will be supported in identifying relevant sustainability goals and translating them into metrics. The course shows how to integrate sustainability work into daily improvement work, how to create anchoring in the organization, and how psychological security, leadership and culture are key factors for long-term change. You will also gain insight into how metrics affect motivation, behavior and management - and how to balance between controlling and leading metrics.

Sustainable pathways to mitigate climate change

Climate transition is one of the greatest challenges humanity has ever faced. This course explores a range of key topics and practical tools for mitigating climate change in a sustainable way. It emphasizes the importance of solutions that do not lead to higher energy consumption or increased extraction of natural resources from the Earth. The course begins by introducing the basic components of the Earth system and how they behave across continents and oceans, with a focus on historical climate changes. Climate change is then examined within a broader context, alongside other planetary boundaries—many of which have already been crossed and have direct or indirect impacts on the climate. The course also covers the fundamentals of climate change and explores methods used to study the evolution of greenhouse gases. Various strategies for removing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide are discussed, along with the challenges and limitations of each approach. A key focus is placed on circular economy practices, such as remanufacturing old products and producing energy and biofertilizers, which are presented as effective technologies for directly mitigating climate change. Finally, the course addresses the crucial role of climate communication and politics in raising public awareness and driving collective action to tackle this global issue. Content Planetary components and behavior Changes in the continents and in the oceans Planetary Boundaries Climate Change fundamentals Monitoring green house gases Carbon dioxide removal Circular economy and biogas solutions Climate communication and politics Course Structure The course is fully digital with pre-recorded lectures. You can participate in the course at your own pace. You will learn By the end of the course, you will have gained a deeper understanding of key concepts related to climate change and learned how to approach its mitigation in a sustainable way. You will explore various technologies and strategies, along with their real-world limitations and challenges. In addition, you’ll learn about the vital role that climate communication and politics play in shaping public awareness and driving the behavioral and policy changes needed to address this global issue. Who is this course for? This course is designed for anyone interested in climate change and the transition toward a more sustainable future. As an introductory course, it provides essential knowledge to help participants understand the basics of climate change and explore practical tools for mitigating its impacts. The focus is on applying sustainable practices, technologies, and behaviors that reduce environmental harm—especially by avoiding increased energy consumption and the extraction of new natural resources. Open to all, the course welcomes a diverse audience from various backgrounds. Whether you're a student, professional, or simply a concerned citizen, you’ll find value in the engaging lectures, which feature scientific insights primarily developed at Linköping University.

Sustainable Tourism in the Baltic Sea Region

The Course Sustainable Tourism in the Baltic Sea Region aims to provide a basic but comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the origins, applications, analyses and examples of Sustainable Tourism with a specific regional focus on the Baltic Sea. The course has both an interdisciplinary and interregional focus and is designed to give the learner a broad but still focused introduction to the topic with socio-political, economic and environmental viewpoints. The topics that will be covered in this course include the introduction of sustainable tourism, its stakeholders, challenges and theories. Numerous examples will be given, including cases and specific aspects of the topic. The course is a regional cooperation between many researchers across the Baltic Sea Region, including those from Sweden, Finland, Ukraine and Poland.  The course consists of four modules: -An introduction to Sustainable Tourism -Aspects of sustainable tourism -Sustainable spatial planning of tourism destinations -Examples from the field Upon completion of the course, students can request a digital certificate by contacting pontus.ambros@balticuniv.uu.se

The Baltic Sea Environment; Challenges and Solutions

The course introduces you to the basics of the Baltic Sea, with its fragile and unique environment. Taking the course will help to better understand how human impacts are changing its marine ecosystems, but also how one can best reverse the negative trends of its destruction. Whether you take this course in your own pace, or within your university, we invite you to take part of the different lectures, and do the assignments for each topic. We hope you will learn something new about our beautiful semi-enclosed sea in Northern Europe. The course is built up with five chapters, each covering a new theme in several sections. Evolution, physical description and climateLife in the Baltic SeaPressures and challengesEnvironmental managementExamples from the region and future outlook The course takes approximately 50 hours to complete and if fully completed, students can request a digital certificate upon completing the course.

Towards a healthy green transition: addressing environmental contaminants in new technologies

Toxic substances in recycled products, “forever chemicals” in batteries, unknown health effects of rare earth elements are all examples of potential risks arising from the development of climate-friendly solutions. The urgency of climate change requests for new solutions at a very fast pace, with the danger of dismissing other threats that can become equally impactful. This reminds of the industrial revolution where thousands of new products were invented in a short time but at high costs for human health and the environment. Integrating today’s knowledge on chemical safety into the green transition can prevent the reiteration of such mistakes. This course examines the health and environmental impacts of chemical toxicants in the environment that have emerged from technological advancements, focusing on both historical and recently developed chemicals. Students will explore the origins, actions, and regulatory frameworks for known toxicants, alongside emerging risks of new chemicals. In parallel, students will be presented with real-life success stories showing how innovative approaches to technology development can address chemical pollution challenges and contribute to building a healthier green transition. Topics Historical perspective on environmental contaminants and their health effects New toxicological challenges emerging from recently developed chemicals  Mechanisms of action of specific classes of environmental contaminants Regulatory frameworks and agencies addressing chemical contamination Databases related to detrimental effects, safety, and use of chemicals Good examples of safe transitioning, showing consideration of toxicological aspects in the product development stage Course structure This course is fully digital with pre-recorded lectures. You can take part in the course in your own pace.   You will learn By the end of the course, you will be able to: identify major classes of environmental contaminants, describe diseases that are known to be produced by environmental contaminants, formulate questions about chemical safety in relation to chemicals with unknown effects, access and understand information related to health effects of environmental toxicants, broadly describe of regulatory frameworks and agencies related to chemical safety. Who is the course for? This course is designed for any person involved in the development of new technologies, products, or industrial processes, for example engineers from different areas, R&D scientists, or entrepreneurs.