Aus-/Weiterbildungen

17.04.24

Community Building for Impact

Focus Sustainability

This workshop focuses on the creation and development of communities, organizations or project teams to maximize their impact. It delves into strategies and practices aimed at fostering strong and engaged communities. This workshop aims to provide tools and knowledge to strengthen connections within communities, ultimately driving significant and positive change.

Date: 17 April 2024

Registration Deadline: 15 April 2024

13.-17.05.24

Nachhaltigkeit demokratiseren - Nachhaltigkeit demokratisieren und Demokratie dauerhaft stärken

Technische Universität Berlin

Was zählt in deinem privaten und beruflichen Leben mehr - das Ergebnis oder der Prozess? Hast Du die Antwort schon und willst, dass andere sie einfach akzeptieren? Oder ziehst du es vor, endlos zu diskutieren, ohne ins Handeln zu kommen? - Wen beziehst Du in Entscheidungsprozesse ein und wen schließt du aus? Wann fühlst du dich selbst einbezogen/ausgeschlossen? - Worüber darfst du mitentscheiden und wo bleibst du außen vor?

Der Kurs "Nachhaltigkeit demokratisieren" bietet einen Raum zum gemeinsamen Lernen, Diskutieren und Handeln. Die Teilnehmenden reflektieren die Entscheidungsprozesse, die die bestehenden gesellschaftlichen Macht- und Naturverhältnisse bestimmen und lernen, diese zu demokratisieren. Der Kurs ist unabhängig vom Kurs "Kritische Nachhaltigkeit" und bietet einen Fokus auf Demokratie. Der Kurs kann als Pflichtmodul für das Nachhaltigkeitszertifikat für Studierende genutzt werden.

Datum: 13.-17- Mai 2024

Anmeldungsfrist: 15. Mai 2024

26.09.-28.09.24

ARL International Summer School 2024: "Spatial Transformation from a Planning Perspective"

ARL, University of Vienna

THE ISSUE

Spatial transformation holds a central role in addressing the multifaceted challenges of the 21st century, extending beyond the pressing concerns of climate change. The intricate interplay of ecological and social issues shapes the landscape of our future lifestyles, necessitating a profound shift towards sustainability. The spatial perspective emerges as a key protagonist in steering the transformation of cities and regions, energy and mobility systems, land usage, and the pervasive digitization across all facets of life. Embracing a socio-spatial lens in the pursuit of sustainability acknowledges that transformation processes are not only occurring within our living spaces but also shaping the conditions for future changes. Spatial planning has a great potential to play a pivotal role by addressing the complex dimensions of the built and unbuilt environment.
However, this transformative potential of spatial planning has not yet been fully exploited, many frameworks seem to be spatially blind. We are looking forward to analyzing and discussing the role of spatial planning in transformation processes. These research endeavors focus on diverse knowledge dimensions, spanning spatial system analyses, normative target knowledge, and transformation knowledge. This holistic perspective aims to understand how transformation processes can be collaboratively supported and developed by society, generating socially relevant knowledge.

POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Theoretical reflections and practical research approaches in spatial planning grapple with fundamental questions in transformation processes of all kinds (energy, mobility, agro-food transitions etc.). We invite contributions from doctoral students internationally and across a range of disciplines, such as geography, planning, urban studies and other social sciences, humanities and engineering. Our aim is to have a broad range of issues in the above topical contexts addressed, including:

• Theoretical and conceptual contributions to the field of spatial transformations (disciplinary as well as interdisciplinary approaches), e.g. in the realm of social justice, democratic decision-making, spatial answers to target conflicts etc.
• Theorizing on the role of spatial planning in transformation processes (anchored in planning theories or elsewhere)
• Transdisciplinary tools and methods to gain societal relevant knowledge (such as real word labs, citizen science approaches etc.)
• Empirical insights in diverse fields of transformation like urban transitions and/or energy, mobility, agro-food transitions etc.

Application Deadline: 01 April 2024

Date of the Summer School: 26 to 28 September 2024

07.-09.10-24

4th International workshop on System Innovation towards Sustainable Agriculture (SISA-4): Transitions towards sustainable agriculture and food systems: Connecting research and practice

various organizers

Societies are facing enormous and persisting sustainability challenges. Research, international negotiations, EU and national policies try to address these
with different degrees of ambition and direction across societal fields. One of the fields that has increasingly drawn attention is the system around agricultural production and food consumption. Research insights from agricultural knowledge and innovation system (AKIS) studies’ insights have led to new forms for research and development at national and international level. These are giving participatory, inter- and transdisciplinary research approaches more prominence in order to take the multifaceted and complex nature of agri-food knowledge and innovation systems, their interconnections to other systems and the systemic characteristics of change into account (Elzen et al. 2004 and 2012, Cornell et al. 2013, Leach et al. 2020, Brouwer et al. 2020, Hebinck et al. 2021, Kok and Klerkx 2023, Knierim and Birke 2023).

However, progress to make agri-food systems around the globe more sustainable and resilient is overall complex and slow. Moreover, sustainability transition efforts have become confronted with the impacts of disturbance and disruptions such as societal conflicts and crisis events. Developments in the EU and the Global South, not least due to recent crises in the last years, leave actors somewhat without directionality. The present European movement of farmers in Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, France and India particularly echoes the importance of developing research and studies about transitions when they at the same time ground societal expectations, political promises and critiques from
farmers.

To address these challenges, the planned workshop deals with the following overarching question: What have we actually achieved and learned so far
through the many initiatives in research, policy and practice around agrifood sustainability transitions? What knowledge is needed to inform actors
and society on feasible pathways to feed the changing world in a sustainable manner and how can we stimulate these?

To apply for participation you are requested to submit an abstract of your contribution by 22 March at latest. The abstract should use the format that can be
downloaded from the workshop website and be no longer than 2 pages in that format.

Workshop Date: 07-09 October 2024

14.09.-20.09.24

International Summer School - Transdisciplinarity methods and tools for dealing with sustainability and land use conflicts

tdAcademy

About the summer school

We live in a world in transformation in which we are faced with complex global problems such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, hunger and social inequality. The urgent need for a sustainable transformation forces us to take decisions in situations of uncertainty and to continuously adapt our societal strategies.

As professionals, as researchers, and ultimately as citizens we want to embrace this process of transformation. We need to be able to design, build, create, but also to listen, observe and understand to make sustainability changes happen. A disciplinary approach will not be enough to solve the complex problems we are faced with in the 21st century. Academia does not have all the answers, neither does politics, economy or civil society. We rather need a collaborative endeavour to be able to reach a truly sustainable society.

Transdisciplinary research and practice is an approach that allows to bring together different perspectives from science and society and to catalyse the solution of real-world problems. In the summer school we want to transmit the basics of co-producing knowledge, co-designing solutions, and co-evaluating the results of such research practices to Master and PhD students from technologically-oriented disciplines (e.g. engineering, planning, environmental studies) as well as from other fields (e.g. social sciences). To ensure the link to the ‘real-world’, we will apply what we learn to sustainability problems in the region of Alt Empordá, Spain.

Aim of the course

The aim of the summer school is to gain insights into the basics and challenges of transdisciplinary research and practice. We want to convey central know-how of how to plan a transdisciplinary project in different steps and to gain experiences with carrying out methods for transdisciplinary research.

Date of the Summer School: 14th to 20th September 2024

Application Deadline: 30th April 2024

24. - 28.0624

Training School on Knowledge Transfer

RWTH Aachen

The interdisciplinary, international Training School builds on the topics of the International Conference on Knowledge Transfer in and through Living Labs and deepens them in workshops and conjoint working groups. Master- and PhD-students of all disciplines working with or interested in Living Labs as well as Living Lab researchers and practitioners are cordially invited to participate and join this unique experience of and exchange on knowledge transfer in such a setting.

Over the course of two and a half days, the training school combines individual impulse presentations, group work and outings to the campus of RWTH Aachen University. Through interactive workshop formats, we aim to facilitate engaged debate with all faculty members and participants. Main topics covered will include methods for co-creation and transdisciplinary knowledge creation, participation in technological innovation and environmental issues, and indicators for knowledge transfer. The programme is designed to accommodate participants with different academic backgrounds, including but not limited to engineering, environmental sciences, social science and humanities.

Date of the School: 24 to 28 June 2024

Deadline for Applications: 15 March 2024

01.07.-05.07.24

Digital Innovations for a Happier, Healthier Aging: A Transdisciplinary Training

University of Geneva

We live in an ageing world that is undergoing remarkable changes. Every global region is experiencing an increase in longevity, which naturally brings more physiological limitations and threats to maintaining an adequate quality of life. This phenomenon creates new demands for innovations that cover different health-related quality of life (HRQoL) domains and can support individuals to live longer in good health. In this context, HRQoL innovations intend to use digital technologies to maintain the older adults’ good health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), delay care dependency, and even prevent non-communicable diseases.

Technological advancement is an important factor in this ecosystem since it is continuously creating new opportunities to apply emerging resources that attend to the needs and desires of older adults, integrating them into the social and physical environments in which we age. Therefore, innovators must, on the one hand, be aware of the opportunities and threats related to these technologies, while, on the other hand,  must engage in iterative co-design with older adults rather than designing ‘for them’, and must develop solutions that are responsive to the older adults’ needs while maintaining user control, and support their health and everyday quality of life (QoL).

The summer school will address important questions at the heart of current digital technologies and older adults. Several of these questions will emphasize the concept of prevention, which typically consists of methods or activities that seek to reduce or deter health issues, protect the current state of well-being, or promote desired HRQoL outcomes or behaviours.

Participants will be able to learn about different types of digital technologies, their application areas, the design considerations related to such technologies, and the ethical, legal, and other factors to be considered while designing and implementing such systems.

The course will include lectures, case studies, mock debates, group work on a joint project presented in front of the external jury at the end of the course, and more. It will also emphasize the importance of transdisciplinarity, collaboration, and end-user participation when designing new objects, products, services, or experiences for the ageing population through a project-based approach and a human-centred design process.

Date: 01-05 July 2024

22.02.24-29.05.24

OIS zam: Ethik & Inklusion

OIS Center

In der Webinarreihe „OIS zam: Ethik & Inklusion“ werden ethische und moralische Aspekte der Forschung beleuchtet. Einerseits gehen wir Fragen der Forschungsethik im engeren Sinne nach, andererseits werden wir erkunden, wie Diversität und Inklusivität dazu beitragen können, Wissenschaft gerechter zu gestalten.

Das sind die Themen und Termine der Webinarreihe:

• Donnerstag, 22. Februar 2024, 13:00-14:00 Uhr: Was ist Forschungsethik: eine kurze Geschichte der Ethik(verstöße) in der Forschung.
• Donnerstag, 21. März 2024, 13:00-14:00 Uhr: Was bedeutet Diversity, Equity und Inklusion in der Forschung?
• Donnerstag, 18. April 2024, 13:00-14:00 Uhr: Forschungsethik in der nicht-klinischen Gesundheitsforschung
• Donnerstag, 29. Mai 2024, 13:00-14:00 Uhr: Health Literacy: Gesundheitskompetenzen am Beispiel vulnerabler Gruppen

08.02.24-16.05.24

OIS zam: Was braucht es für Impact?

OIS Center

In dieser einführenden Webinarreihe „OIS zam: Was braucht es für Impact?“ beschäftigen wir uns mit dem Thema Impact für partizipative und transdisziplinäre Forschung. Hierbei sehen wir uns einige Aspekte genauer an, die es für Impact in der Forschung braucht: einen guten Überblick, wirkungsorientierte Planung, kreative Erhebungen und überzeugende Kommunikationsmittel.

Das sind die Themen und Termine der Webinarreihe:

• Donnerstag, 8. Februar 2024, 13:00-14:00 Uhr: Der gesellschaftliche Impact von OIS-Forschung.
• Donnerstag, 7. März 2024, 13:00-14:00 Uhr: Den Impact von Forschung mit einem logischen Modell planen.
• Donnerstag, 11. April 2024, 13:00-14:00 Uhr: Kreative und kunstorientierte Methoden zur Erfassung von Impact.
• Donnerstag, 16. Mai 2024, 13:00-14:00 Uhr: Impact mit Hilfe von Impact Cases kommunizieren.

28.02.2024 & 22.05.2024

BOOST your sustainability Project or Organisation

Focus Sustainability

Our coaching programme is designed to support you to take your sustainable project (ideas) or organisations to the next level. It offers a unique combination of workshops, designed for knowledge transfer, and coaching sessions, providing individualised advice.

You are encouraged to choose a minimum of two out of four workshops, where your gain valuable knowledge and practical skills for your projects.
Coaching sessions offer individual or team support and feedback, enabling you to work on the development of your project and improve your skills.
Successful completion of the programme is rewarded with a personalised certificate from Focus Sustainability and a letter of reference from your dedicated coach.

Kick-off session: Wednesday 28th February 2024, 16h-19h
Closing and networking event: Wednesday 22nd May 2024, 16h-19h

01.-05.07.2023

Jul 2024: QoL Summer School – Digital Innovations for a Happier, Healthier Aging: A Transdisciplinary Training

University of Geneva

We are pleased to announce the upcoming “Digital Innovations for a Happier, Healthier Aging: A Transdisciplinary Training” as part of the Quality of Life Technologies Lab’s Summer School. This program will be held from July 1-5, 2024 (9-17h, daily) at the University of Geneva – Campus Battelle (Carouge). This program is a key component of the AGE-INT.ch project, aimed at strengthening Switzerland’s global expertise in innovative solutions for an aging society.

The course is designed to accommodate a diverse range of participants, including medical professionals, caregivers, solution providers, startup founders, and students at various academic levels, from Bachelor and Master via PhD to faculty members. We foster a transdisciplinary approach, making this course accessible to individuals from different fields, including, but not limited to, social, public health, medical and rehabilitation sciences, political sciences, economic, legal, and environmental sciences, computer science, and engineering. Furthermore, we extend a warm welcome to anyone passionate about the potential synergy between digital technologies and the aging population, especially those eager to actively contribute to our ongoing research projects as study participants and users of the digital solutions being developed within the QoL Lab (QoL.unige.ch).
Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the actionable opportunities and challenges related to digital technologies for the aging population. They will also receive valuable insights into the design, implementation, evaluation, and regulatory certification of these solutions, guided by local, national, and international experts in the field.
Successful completion of the course will earn participants 3 ECTS credits.

Date: 01 -05 July 2023