Examination arrangement

Course content

The green shift involves all societal sectors (e.g. energy, ICT, transport, maritime, education and health). Given climate change and the need for transitioning society in a more sustainable direction, it is also important that changes happen fast. The need for innovation combined with the need for rapid transitions across sectors offers great possibilities, however it also involves a number of societal challenges that must be handled.

This course is based on theories about sustainability transitions and different perspectives, tools and methods for conducting sustainability transitions. The course is based on insights from innovation studies, sociology, history, political science, organisational studies, and science and technology studies. It particularly emphasises the interplay between societal and technological changes.

The course has a twofold focus: On the one hand, to understand technological and social processes of change that emerge around sustainability transitions, and to understand how these can be fostered and accelerated. On the other hand, to understand important strategic, social, ethical and technological trade-offs that must be made in order to avoid that sustainability transitions happen at the expense of other important societal goals.

Important questions addressed inthe course are:

• What are the social, cultural and organisational preconditions for sustainability transitions to happen on different societal levels (from households via organisations and companies to states), and how can we work to foster such changes?
• What roles do different actors, such as companies, incentive structures, state, politcians and citizens play in energy, environment and climate related innovation and transition processes?
• How can we work to overcome social, technological and economic barriers that prevent development and implementation of new energy and climate solutions?
• Which conflicts and controversies emerge around sustainability transitions and how can we work to deal with these in the best possible way? What do such conflicts mean for transitions?
• How can the consideration for an inclusive and democratic society align with the need for rapid technological and societal transitions in a more environmentally and climate friendly direction?

Learning outcome

Learning outcome

Knowledge:

• The student will understand better social, cultural and organisational preconditions for sustainability transitions on different societal levels
• The student will master theoretical perspectives for the analysis of specific societal transitions and innovation processes related to energy, environment and climate
• The student will be able to link innovation challenges in public and private sectors to sustainability

Skills:

• The student will be able to utilise relevant concepts and theories to analyse and understand challenges related to sustainable transitions and societal change
• The student can critically reflect problems and challenges related to energy, climate and environmental transition processes in public and private sector
• The student develops knowledge about process-oriented tools that can be used to analyse and conduct energy, climate and sustainability related transition processes and possible consequences of sustainability transitions in companies and organisations.
• The student can convey knowledge in written form through argumentative texts

General competence

• The student can function as advisor in a company/organisation that wants to understand how to conduct sustaianbility transitions and how such transitions affect and can be affected by the company/organisation

Learning methods and activities

The teaching consists of lectures, discussions and group exercises in two session of two days each, while additional work is done individually or in groups. Some preparation before each session must be expected. A written exercise has to be submitted between the two sessions.

Before the start of the course, the participants should formulate a challenge they themselves face related to sustainable transitions. The challenge can, for example, be about innovation, organisational work, participatory processes and the like. The problem statement will form the basis for the work with the written exercise and the final project assignment. The written exercise is a «preparatory exercise» to the final project assignment, and must be submitted before the second session. The work is done individually or in groups of up to three participants.

Compulsory assignments

• Excercise

Specific conditions