Dealing Professionally with Climate Change Issues

Additional course information

• Learning objectives

  During this course students will learn the scientific basics of Climate Change: facts, causes and consequences.

  The in-depth information provided by the lectures on the following themes will allow them to be prepared for discussions within their own profession/study.

  1. The Anthropocene: natural versus human-made climate change.

  2. The past and the present: lessons for the future and its modelling.

  3. The history of Climate Change.

  4. Policy, politics and societal relevance.

  5. Climate change and its trade-offs.

  Soft skills that will be acquired by students:

  • Improving the ability to speak up, discuss and defend one's opinion and arguments in relation to the public one.
  • Getting used to and improving one's ability to deal with criticism.
  • Feeling and showing passion for relevant issues without losing professionalism.
  • Operating respectfully and professionally. 

  At the end of the course participants will probably answer with a “Yes, I can” to:

  "Are you able to cope with this kind of situation when Climate Change is the subject?"

  • You get interviewed by a press officer or a reporter for a newspaper/magazine.
  • You are involved in a discussion with a climate denier.
  • You apply for a grant and get interviewed.
  • Your supervisor does not agree with your plans.
  • You do not agree with the reviewers of your submitted paper.

• Forms of tuition and assessment

  The form of tuition of the course includes:

  online lectures from several guest speakers, critical evaluation exercises, role plays, oral presentations, a short written report, debates and discussion sessions and more.

  The course will be assessed through written and oral contributions.

  Hour distribution: One week course from 09.00 am to 15.00 pm (plus an additional amount of approximately 30 hours of self-study).

  Time schedule
  
  Day 1-4:

  8.30-12.15h lectures by experts with discussions two to three per day, 45 minutes followed by  general open discussions at the end, with additional Q&A, experts present.
  Break
  13.00h-16.00h exercises, student presentations (pitches)
  Individually continued, homework and informal discussions
  At the end of day 4:  delivery of reports
  
  Day 5:

  8.30h-12.30h: Evaluation of reports jointly

  Break

  13.30h-15.00h continued:

  16.00.-18.00 final debate and course evaluation

  *The final, detailed planning depends on the final number of participants
  

• Course syllabus

  Here you can download the preliminary syllabus for winter 2024. 

  ^{*Note that there might be some changes closer to the start date.}