Circular Economy for Sustainability Transformation (5 op)

Arviointiasteikko

H-5

Sisällön jaksotus

Online lecture 1: 5 September
Orientation and introduction to circular economy concept

Online lecture 2: 23 September
Sustainability and Circular economy policies and practices
EU sustainability reporting standards
Circular Business Model innovation

Online lecture 3: 7 October
CE instruments available internationally to finance circular economy solutions
Regional and national examples of circular economy development
Group work progress reflection

Online lecture 4: 22 October
Current issues in sustainable transformation and circular economy and future prospective.
Group presentations and reflection

Tavoitteet

Student understands how a circular economy changes the way in which value is created and how it is an indispensable part of the sustainability transformation. Student knows how circularity works for people, organisations, cities and regions. Student can apply principles of green and just economy and promote climate neutrality and resource efficiency. During this course, students are working and familiarising themselves with circular economy cases from e.g. working life, industries, or municipalities. The aim is to build up the theoretical knowledge required for Master’s Thesis.

Competencies emphasised in the course: learning to learn, ethics, proactive development, sustainable development, internationality and multiculturalism, critical and future oriented thinking

Sisältö

- Economic and social system from a circularity and sustainability perspective.
- Circular economy frameworks and policies as well as instruments available internationally to finance circular economy solutions.
- Regional and national examples of circular economy development, e.g. industrial ecosystems, national roadmaps towards circular economy etc.

Aika ja paikka

Course will be done as online studies, (remote meetings in Zoom, exercises and independent and small group work).


Detailed instructions will be given in the start of the study period.

Oppimateriaalit

Current scientific articles and other publications. The tutors put together a collection of material related to the content of the course in the learning environment of the course in Moodle to support the starting of the course. Recommend orientation material, which will also be part of the course material:

2020 Circular Economy Action Plan – International aspects (2020) https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/9dc6aa01-39d2-11eb-b27b-01aa75ed71a1

Leading the cycle: Finnish road map to a circular economy 2016-2025: https://www.sitra.fi/en/publications/leading-cycle/

Sustainable growth with circular economy business models (2022): https://www.sitra.fi/en/publications/sustainable-growth-with-circular-economy-business-models/

The Critical Move – Finland’s Road Map to the Circular Economy 2.0: https://www.sitra.fi/en/projects/critical-move-finnish-road-map-circular-economy-2-0/#the-challenge T

he European Green Deal – Communication from the Comission (2019): https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1588580774040&uri=CELEX%3A52019DC0640

What is a circular economy? – Ellen MacArthur Foundation: https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/overview?gclid=CjwKCAiAuOieBhAIEiwAgjCvchchq6f6igtfno-oYQGA-Ee2_2z9XtyhL36QQxo-_XVu-H_H3ZaFwRoCOnMQAvD_BwE

Opetusmenetelmät

Opintojakso järjestetään englannin kielellä. Opintojakson sisältökuvaukset löytyvtä englannin kieliseltä sivustolta.

Course will be held in English. Information can be found from the English version of the page.

Harjoittelu- ja työelämäyhteistyö

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Tenttien ajankohdat ja uusintamahdollisuudet

No exam. The approved completion of the course requires the approved completion of the course assignments (assignments, participation in group and small group events and course portfolio).

The course assignments are presented at the start of the course during the orientation week and in the Moodle learning environment.

Plagiarism and use of references:
Please notice that in study unit assignment returns the plagiarism detection programs (for example Turnitin) will be used. Also notice that you need to use Lapland UAS templates (essay, thesis, report etc) and writing instructions. Textual references must be done according to the given instructions. Please download the thesis template and the referencing instructions here: https://www.lapinamk.fi/en/Students/Study-Guide,-Degree-Programme-Students/Thesis https://lib.luc.fi/c.php?g=662513&p=4803830
Submitting assignments against given instructions may lead to failing and other possible consequences according to the Degree Regulations.

Kansainvälisyys

Participating students form an international study group and are able to share their knowledge about circular economy in different countries and organisations. Global perspective of the current state and future of the circular economy will be built up during the course.

Toteutuksen valinnaiset suoritustavat

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Opiskelijan ajankäyttö ja kuormitus

The workload of this study course corresponds to a load of 5 credits (one credit is equal to 27h of work).

The work is punctuated by joint and small group meetings during the study period, the scheduling of which is reviewed at the start of the study period. Between meetings, independent work is carried out according to one's own schedule or together with a small group.

Arviointikriteerit, tyydyttävä (1)

1-2: Student
● understands main frameworks of circular economy in national and international level.
● identifies the principles of circular economy as a part of the transformation towards sustainability.
● presents at least one real-life development case of circular economy as a part of the organisation network, municipality or national level operations.
● knows the main points about how to promote circular economy as a part of the operations.

Arviointikriteerit, hyvä (3)

3-4: Student
● can assess the impact of organisations’ circular economy operations or development activities on their stakeholder network and how the “industrial symbiosis” is shown in this context.
● can assess the key factors of operations, which are influencing the transformation towards sustainability in the operations
● is able to define progress measures for circular economy in the chosen organisation and the potential of those development activities.
● can propose at least one real-life example of how to improve the circular economy as a part of the organisation's operations and how this promotes the transformation towards sustainability.

Arviointikriteerit, kiitettävä (5)

5: Student
● can apply and analyze development ideas to enhance circular economy principles in the organisation’s operations.
● can evaluate the impact of circular economy development activities in the organisation or in the chosen context
● shows knowledge of complex systems which are implementing circular economy principles as a daily basis in their operations and is able to evaluate how symbiosis is supporting the organisation network.

Lisätiedot

Recommended previous courses:
Students should have at least a basic level understanding of circular economy, sustainable development and responsibility, for example described in Sustainable.now- course description (https://climateuniversity.fi/portfolio-items/sustainable-now/) or Sustainability in Business (https://sustainablebusiness.aalto.fi/en/course/).

Circular economy for sustainability transformations is one of the core studies of the Managing Sustainability and Systems Change (MaSS) Master’s Program. The course provides opportunity to enhance the theoretical background for the Master’s Thesis. The course is also suitable for students outside of the MaSS program.