Change Agents for regional and local organisations

Background and goals

The main objective with this IP (CHARLO) is to educate and involve students in concrete work with sustainability and community resilience in the different regions across our Nordic-Baltic consortia. At the same time this strengthens networking and learning between HE and companies in the selected region. It will be a possibility to learn together and in that way also practise and promote lifelong learning in the region, together. We also believe that this can have an impact on the competitiveness of involved partners, at least to some extent.
The idea is that students team up in cross-disciplinary and cross-national teams to work with challenges in the selected region. One the way they will learn both theory and practice as well as learn how to use theories learned as a tool to solve concrete challenges presented by external stakeholders in the local area/region.
The focus is on sustainability and we address the importance of all pillars of sustainability in the solutions. The environmental initiatives will however be to core focus when selecting the challenges and partners in the region.
Method: challenge based education

Objectives and benefits

3 year program incl a regional change agent initiative across the Nordic and Baltic borders.

Results

The learning outcomes for the students are three fold and include the development of knowledge, practice and attitudes:
● learning about SGDs and sustainability (theory, knowledge), and how to put the SGDs into action (https://sdgs.un.org/goals )
● learning by getting familiar with best practices and challenges in the local community
● learning of new tools for working with sustainability in the community (in companies and other institutions)/learn the models of application of circular and social economy for sustainable business development in local communities and its relevance for the participating institutions
● learning how to use the business model canvas, particularly business model canvas for introduction of circularity solutions.
● introducing and sharing ideas for sustainable development in local community
● learning how to critically analyse the context
● working with openness and creativity to find new robust solutions for the community
● developing their analytical skills
● developing their sustainable thinking as well as practices related to a business context.

Societal impact

Intensive course connection with working life and research:
1. Students will be introduced with information about sustainability and circular economy and its development and application tools and methods.
2. Students benchmarking nationally for successful examples of companies implementing circular economy
3. Invitation of a local enterprise as a guest lecturer to present their story in circular economy - get front-line information
4. During the IP visit to local companies for exchange of experience, knowledge and know-how. Enterprises will be asked to share challenges they face and the IP team sets to find solutions for them, co-work with the enterprises
5. Students will have confidence in the use of innovative, ideation and entrepreneurial skills needed in the working life, in the society and so forth.
6. Opportunities to develop enterprise operations via student research or university staff research, open ideas for future cooperation. Collaborate to publish scientific and applied articles.