Environmental Studies
Humanity is facing major global challenges and contradictions: increasing wealth but growing inequality; overconsumption on the one hand; malnutrition on the other; rising economic growth and extreme environmental degradation. Where can we start to solve these problems?
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Course Details

Language English
Duration 8 weeks
Effort 6 hrs/week
Description

Humanity is facing major global challenges and contradictions: increasing prosperity, but also growing inequality; overconsumption on the one hand, malnutrition on the other; increasing economic growth and extreme environmental degradation. We often lack a holistic view. Where can we start to solve these problems?

This course explains the most important global challenges and the possible solutions that already exist today:

With a focus on food, urban development and social justice, you will get an overall view of our system. In the area of nutrition, you will learn about the entire food value chain and how to build sustainable food value chains through studies and examples.
Cities are centres of human life. Experts from the fields of energy, architecture, natural resources and economics will show you how cities can be developed in a socially responsible, green and low-emission way.
How does inequality arise, and how can we do something about it? Experienced social scientists and linguists will explain how inequality arises and which principles can promote social justice.
During the course, you will receive various inputs on how to deal with your health sustainably.
The Vision 2030 course will enable you to take a more holistic view of your work and life and thus contribute to sustainable development.

What you will learn

You will be able to explain

  • what global challenges are and why they need to be looked at holistically.

  • where food waste occurs and how it can be avoided.

  • what principles promote social sustainability.

  • how cities can be developed into Smart Sustainable Cities.

You can describe

  • what the causes and solutions are for the problem of land consumption.

  • how life cycle assessments of food work.

  • how nutrient cycles can be closed in cities.

  • how inequality arises and can be combated.

You can share and justify your opinion on

  • urban development projects on synergies and trade-offs within smart city concepts.

  • existing social challenges and possible solutions.

  • different concepts for more sustainable economic systems.
  • Course instructors

    Claudia Müller

    Dr. Claudia Müller ist Dozentin und Forscherin für Lebensmittel-Technologie. Ihre Lehr- und Forschungsschwerpunkte sind Ernährungserhebungen & Konsumverhalten, Verpflegung in der Gemeinschaftsgastronomie, Nachhaltige Wertschöpfungsketten und Food Waste.

    Marina Petkova

    Dr. Marina Petkova ist Dozentin und Co-Studiengangleiterin des Bachelors «Sprachliche Integration» am Institute of Language Competence, Departement für Angewandte Linguistik, ZHAW. Ihre Forschungstätigkeit umfasst Bereiche wie Mehrsprachigkeit und Sprachk…

    Francesco Bortoluzzi

    Francesco Bortoluzzi ist Leiter der Nachhaltigkeitsprogramme an der ZHAW, wo er die strategischen Programme für nachhaltige Entwicklung «ZHAW sustainable» leitet. Er ist ein erfahrener Spezialist für internationale Beziehungen und verfügt über weitreichen…

    Sonja Feer

    Sonja Feer ist wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin an der Forschungsstelle für Public Health. In Ihrer Arbeit als Gesundheitswissenschaftlerin fokussiert sie das Themengebiet der Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung und ist bestrebt, die Gesundheit der Bevölke…

    Leticia Müller

    Leticia Müller befasst sich an der ZHAW mit nachhaltigen Energiesystemen. Ihre Lehr- und Forschungstätigkeit beinhaltet Themen wie Smart Sustainable Cities & Regions, Dekarbonisierung von Energiesystemen und Reallabore.

    Nico Frommherz

    Nico Frommherz ist Leiter des MOOC Vision 2030 und arbeitet bei «ZHAW sustainable» an den strategischen Programmen für nachhaltige Entwicklung. Seine Schwerpunkte sind Naturmanagement, Umweltbildung, Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation und Erfassungsmethoden von…

    ZHAW Online Courses

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