Grasping Sustainability: the context and potential impact of your research
Explore and understand sustainability, the different concepts, objectives and methodologies to improve the impact of your research.
Scope
To date, many different scientific concepts and approaches of sustainability exist. What are the differences and what do they entail? What is your role as a scientist in achieving sustainable development? How can you apply sustainability in your own research? And in doing so, how can you deal with facts, uncertainty, values and opinions? This course will enable you to think about the ‘bigger picture’, grasp sustainability and to apply concepts and approaches to your own research, in a collaborative learning environment. To ensure that the content of the course is aligned to your own research, the content of the course will also be determined by the research topics of the participants.
Learning goals
- Be acquainted with and understand different concepts, objectives and approaches of sustainability
- Be aware of and be able to deal with the science – policy interface
- Be able to understand the importance of societal processes in transitions
- Be able to apply sustainability concepts, objectives and approaches to your own research
- To identify your role as a researcher within its societal context
- Effectively and successfully deal with group processes
Programme
| Date | Activity | Focus |
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| Monday 13 March | Lectures, exercise, discussion | ‘Sustainability’ the bigger picture |
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| Early evening dinner | ||
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| Tuesday 14 March | Lectures, exercise, discussion | Systems thinking and methods to understand complexity |
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| Assignment / practical on Systems thinking | ||
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| Wednesday 15 March | Video, lectures, discussion | Sustainability and the science-policy interface |
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| Lectures, discussion and assignment | Transitions in practice | |
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| Thursday 16 March | Workshop | Transdisciplinary approaches |
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| Self-study in groups | Reflection on own research | |
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| Friday 17 March | Poster peer review + Presentations | Participants input: ‘Sustainability in my research’ |
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| Final reflection | ||
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Confirmed lecturers and speakers
- Karen Fortuin (Senior lecturer at the Environmental Systems Analysis Group, WUR)
- Jillian Student (WIMEK postdoctoral researcher on transdisciplinary research at WUR)
- Philipp Pattberg (Director of the Amsterdam Sustainability Institute (ASI), full professor of transnational environmental governance and policy at VU, and general director of SENSE)
- Peter Vermeulen (PhD programme coordinator and PhD advisor for WIMEK, WUR)
- Mirjam van Gool (Founder of EcoValue)
- Timo Maas (Researcher at PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency)
- Ernst Worrell (Professor of Energy, Resources & Technological Change at Utrecht University
- Geerten Hengeveld (DLO Researcher, Wageningen Plant Research)
General information
Target group
The course is meant for PhD candidates, Engineering Doctorate (EngD) students, MSc students of the WIMEK Graduate Programme, and other scientists who want to understand and achieve sustainable development and innovation, and are interested in ways to incorporate sustainability in their research.
Course level
Beginner
Suggested follow up courses
- Making an Impact (Wageningen Graduate Schools
- Transformative research for global social-environmental challenges (WIMEK)
Course fee
- WIMEK/PE&RC and all other WUR PhD candidates with an approved TSP: €170 (early bird) / €220 (regular)
- Engineering Doctorate (EngD) students: €170 (early bird) / €220 (regular)
- SENSE PhDs with TSP: €340 (early bird) / €390 (regular)
- All other PhD candidates: €380 (early bird) / €430 (regular)
- Postdocs and staff of WUR Graduate Schools / graduate schools mentioned above: €380 (early bird) / €430 (regular)
- All others: €420 (early bird) / €470 (regular)
Early bird registration deadline: 13 February 2023.
Regular registration deadline: 24 February 2023.
The course fee includes coffee, tea and lunch on all 5 days, and dinner with drinks on day 1. The fee does not include accommodation, breakfast and dinner (apart from dinner on day 1). Accommodation is not included in the fee of the course, but there are several possibilities in Wageningen. For information on B&B’s and hotels in Wageningen please visit proefwageningen.nl. Another option is Short Stay Wageningen. Furthermore Airbnb offers several rooms in the area. Note that besides the restaurants in Wageningen, there are also options to have dinner at Wageningen Campus.
Cancellation conditions
- Up to 4 (four) weeks prior to the start of the course, cancellation is free of charge.
- Up to 2 (two) weeks prior to the start of the course, a fee of 50% of the full costs will be charged.
- In case of cancellation within two weeks prior to the start of the course, a fee of 100% of the full costs will be charged.
- If you do not show at all, a fee of 100% of the full costs and a fine of 100 euro will be charged.
Note that we need to cancel due to Corona, we will re-imburse your fee. We however are not responsible for any accommodation or travel costs you make for attending this course
Registration
Please complete this form to register for the course
More information
Elackiya Sithamparanathan, e-mail: elackiya.sithamparanathan@wur.nl, tel: +31 (0) 6 8731 6681
Former occurrences of this course
7-11 March 2022 | March 2021 | 9-13 March 2020 | 11-15 March 2019 | 12-16 March 2018 | 13-17 March 2017 | 22-26 Febr 2016 | 10-13 March 2015
