SFB70022 Sustainable Leadership (Spring 2024)
Facts about the course
- ECTS Credits:
- 10
- Responsible department:
- Faculty of Computer Science, Engineering and Economics
- Campus:
- Halden
- Course Leader:
- Søren Wenstøp
- Teaching language:
- English
- Duration:
- ½ year
The course is connected to the following study programs
The course is available as elective course for all students at the Department of Economics, Innovation, and Society.
The course is also available for other students at the Faculty of Computer Science, Engineering and Economics, and can after prequalification or by application be accepted as elective course or extra-curricular course.
Absolute requirements
The student must have successfully completed all 1st year courses (or the equivalent).
Recommended requirements
Exchange students and students interested in international cooperation are encouraged to enroll.
Lecture Semester
Spring
The student's learning outcomes after completing the course
Knowledge
The student has
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good knowledge about the circular economy and how this differs from traditional economic thinking.
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good knowledge of target UNSDGs and insight into their practical implications.
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good knowledge about Chinese culture and socioeconomic conditions.
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good knowledge about different perspectives on leadership across cultures (China and Norway).
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basic knowledge about institutional preconditions for international cooperation.
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basic knowledge about the problems related to climate change.
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Basic knowledge about systems and systems thinking.
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General knowledge about leadership.
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Knowledge about academic writing.
Skills
The student has
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good skills relating to discussing practical academic subjects.
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good cooperation skills and cross cultural skills.
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the ability to discuss and debated issues in the context of social interaction.
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the ability to imagine a and relate to an uncertain and partially unknown future.
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the ability to structure problems
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good academic writing skills.
General competencies
The student has
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competencies in problem solving, with particular focus on particular UNSDGs.
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intercultural competencies, with special focus on China and Chinese culture.
Competencies relating to manage different institutional preconditions in international cooperation.
Content
The topic of this course is sustainable leadership and circular economics, across cultural contexts, specifically in China P.R.C. and Norway.
The course is a combination of theory and practical applications. In terms of theory, the academic pillar of the course is the framework of a circular economy, in connection to and illustrated by specific goals among the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). The course furthermore also discussions different approaches to sustainable leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Sustainable leadership is presented from different theoretical perspectives, with a view to realistic practical challenges. The course also provides an overview of the central challenges relating to climate change.
In terms of practical application, cases and examples from China and Norway relating to sustainable development and the circular economy are presented and discussed. A special module, Current Issues in China, addresses some of the practical challenges relating to geo-politics and culture facing leaders in relation to their cooperation with Chinese partners.
The students will get an opportunity to discuss and learn across cultural contexts, familiarize themselves with Chinese culture, as well as learn about the current socioeconomic, geopolitical, and institutional conditions in China that are relevant for exercising sustainable and responsible leadership. The students will be familiarized with different approaches to solving problems connected with specific UNSDGs, and some of the underlying challenges relation to climate change.
Forms of teaching and learning
The students following the course in Norway will have ordinary classroom education, while our partners in China will participate by digital conference whenever relevant. There will be a variety to lecturers contributing to the course.
The students will be divided into groups together with their Chinese counter parts so that they will have the opportunity to get to know one another and cooperate across cultures.
The classroom sessions will be a combination of ordinary teaching, discussions, problem solving sessions, and counselling sessions. Between classroom sessions, there will be periods allocated to student group work and feedback.
Feedback sessions with teachers for individual groups will ordinarily take place digitally (allocated digital rooms, at prespecified time slots).
Teaching and feedback sessions will be given in English.
Workload
Approx. 280 hours.
Coursework requirements - conditions for taking the exam
Written group assignment. Evaluation: Pass/fail.
Examination
The students will work in groups of 2-4 members on assigned topics. On the basis of the assigned topic they write a report, and subsequently submit a short video summary of this report for exam evaluation. The written exam report will be graded on in terms of pass/fail. The exam video will be graded on a grading scale A - F, where obtaining a pass grade for the written report prior to submitting the exam video is required.
The written exam report will be of maximum 4000 words, excluding reference list. The report must include correct citation of all sources. The exam video should be between 5 and 10 minutes long and give a comprehensive overview of the written report. The assignment of the written report and exam video will concern problems and suggested solutions relating to focal UNSDGs, in the Chinese-Norwegian international context.
The evaluation of the course emphasizes the ability to present relevant problems and solutions, disciplinary anchoring, the usage of empirical information, reflections and argumentation, structure and completeness, and well as norms for academic writing and formal presentation. The assignment shall be written in English.
Grading scale: A - F.
Examiners
One external and one internal examiner or two internal examiners.
Course evaluation
The course is evaluated according to the rules for quality work at Østfold University College.
The students will work in groups of 2-4 members on assigned topics. On the basis of the assigned topic they write a report, and subsequently submit a short video summary of this report for exam evaluation. The written exam report will be graded on in terms of pass/fail. The exam video will be graded on a grading scale A - F, where obtaining a pass grade for the written report prior to submitting the exam video is required.
The written exam report will be of maximum 4000 words, excluding reference list. The report must include correct citation of all sources. The exam video should be between 5 and 10 minutes long and give a comprehensive overview of the written report. The assignment of the written report and exam video will concern problems and suggested solutions relating to focal UNSDGs, in the Chinese-Norwegian international context.
The evaluation of the course emphasizes the ability to present relevant problems and solutions, disciplinary anchoring, the usage of empirical information, reflections and argumentation, structure and completeness, and well as norms for academic writing and formal presentation. The assignment shall be written in English.
Grading scale: A - F.