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The VCSE is a network of European universities offering e-learning courses on sustainable development taught in English. In the winter semester 2013/2014 the course European Virtual Seminar (EVS) supervised by Open University of Netherlands is being offered. These multi-disciplinary course in which other 9 European universities are involved give students the chance to communicate, share ideas and work collaboratively with other students from abroad, and also to work independently to follow their own interests. E-learning helps students develop skills such as cross-cultural communication, confidence in working with ICTs, and taking responsibility for their own learning. Students are supported and guided by course tutors who create a welcoming and communicative environment. In EVS, students form international groups that work on the case studies under supervision of experts from the involved institutions.
Upon successful completion of an e-learning course, the students receive a certificate outlining the skills they have developed during the course. EVS covers both semesters (it ends in April); this semester is introductory and you will start to work on your case study.
Last update: Dlouhá Jana, RNDr., Ph.D. (23.09.2013)
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The course offered this semester is European Virtual Seminar (EVS). The aim of the EVS is to promote an international and multidisciplinary dialogue on sustainable development issues between students from different universities from 9 European countries by using modern communication technology. The main feature of EVS is the teamwork in the student groups composed on the international basis. Members of the student group are of different background so the transdisciplinary approach is enhanced. Student groups work on case studies dealing with particular regional issues related to European policy on sustainable development (biodiversity of Romanian forests, communicating sustainable development, spatial planning in Dehesa, agriculture in Poland). The team product is a case study consisting of analysis of a problem, its scientific background and policy recommendations. The pedagogic effect of EVS is based on the experiential and virtual collaborative learning. The EVS was set up by the Open University of the Netherlands, School of Science. EVS covers both semesters, so if you enrol for this semester, then you are effectively enrolling for both semesters. Hours of study: maximum 150 in total, ECTS credits: 5 for both semesters (3 in WS). For more information about the course, contact Andrew Barton at andrew.barton@czp.cuni.cz or Joop de Kraker at joop.dekraker@ou.nl. Learning objectives At the end of the EVS the student will be able to: 1. describe and operationalise the concept of sustainable development 2. analyse sustainable development issues from a European perspective 3. link local, national and European policy-related issues to a societal shift towards sustainable development 4. collaborate with students of different nationalities and from different cultural and disciplinary backgrounds 5. use the computer-conferencing system effectively for collaborative learning Last update: Dlouhá Jana, RNDr., Ph.D. (23.09.2013)
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EVS case studies 2013-2014: short descriptions COM - Communication Strategies for Sustainable Development More than 20 years after Rio, the concept of sustainable development is met by wide agreement in Europe- if you ask for agreement about the inherent topics. At the same time, surveys tell us that 95% of the world population does not know the term "Sustainable Development" and that they have never heard anything about the principle of sustainability. Thus, communication strategies seem to be important. The goal of this case study is to evaluate existing strategies and assess the strengths and weaknesses of these strategies. CAC - Climate Adaptation in Coastal Regions Since the publication of the latest report of the International Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) in 2007, climate change and its likely impacts are widely discussed. All over the world and in many regions societies debate on how to adapt to climate change in a sustainable way. Especially in low lying coastal regions, adaptation to the likely consequences of climate change is crucial. These regions are expected to be threatened by higher storm surges, higher precipitation or drought, and a changing wind climate. The goal of this case study is to identify generic or site specific criteria to assess the ability of coastal communities to adapt to climate change. DEC - Decoupling of Environmental Pressure from Quality of Life The overall goal of sustainable economies is to reach a state where the general quality of life goes up while the environmental pressures go down, i.e., to reach so called decoupling. There is a large array of indicators representing environmental pressures which are suitable for decoupling analysis. The level of decoupling differs across European countries and across environmental pressure indicators due to factors such as country size, population density, economic structure, etc. The goal of this case study is to compare decoupling of several selected environmental pressure indicators from quality of life across various European countries. GEO - Geoconservation in Hateg Country Dinosaur Geopark A European Geopark is defined as a territory with a particular geological heritage and which has a sustainable development plan to help promote economic development. The Hateg Country Dinosaur Geopark is located in Southern Transylvania (Romania) near the main routes toHungary,SerbiaandBulgaria. The geopark must become a catalyst for local development in the fields of environment (nature conservation), cultural heritage, traditional economic activities, (agriculture, handicraft), ecotourism, social issues, education and training, raising awareness on European integration and promotion. The goal of this case study is to come up with creative ideas for the sustainable development of the Hateg Country Dinosaurs Geopark, for example based on a comparison with other geoparks or regional development projects. RED - REDD and Climate Change: The European Union’s position Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) has been recognized as a great opportunity to prevent climate change. The parties of the 13th UNFCC Conference inBali,Indonesiain 2007 agreed to develop a mechanism to compensate reduced emissions from avoided deforestation and degradation. The European Union, like with most environmental issues, is seen as one of the crucial actors to promote concrete action on REDD. In international negotiations the European Union has pushed binding solutions to support a REDD agreement. The goal of this case study is to examine the European negotiating position on the international level and the concrete action undertaken so far. STR - Sustainable Tourism and the Region "Sustainable tourism in its purest sense is an industry which attempts to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate income, employment, and the conservation of local ecosystems. It is responsible tourism that is both ecologically and culturally sensitive" (Global Development Research Center, 2009). The goal of this case study is to analyze the current situation in one or more selected regions (including tourism policies, developments, products, tourist behaviour and activities in a tourism region), and to make concrete recommendations on how to implement and develop sustainable tourism. URB - Urban Waste Prevention Waste is an environmental, social and economic challenge for many people inEurope. For some, it conjures up negative images: rubbish bags, litter and toxic waste dumps. For others, waste is an opportunity:Europe’s drive to deal with waste in environmentally sound ways has generated jobs and business opportunities. Waste is complex - difficult to grasp, difficult to gather good statistics on, and difficult to regulate and manage. The EU Waste Framework Directive (Directive 2008/98/EC) intends to simplify all these processes. It aims at protecting the environment and human health through the prevention of the harmful effects of waste generation and waste management. The goal of this case study is to determine whether the long-term goal of the Directive is being achieved forEuropeand, if relevant, to propose new solutions, based on a comparison of the application of the Directive in different European countries.
Last update: Dlouhá Jana, RNDr., Ph.D. (23.09.2013)
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The aim of the EVS is to promote an international and multidisciplinary dialogue on sustainable development issues between students from different universities from 9 European countries by using modern communication technology. The main feature of EVS is the teamwork in the student groups composed on the international basis. Members of the student group are of different background so the transdisciplinary approach is enhanced. The pedagogic effect of EVS is based on the experiential and virtual collaborative learning. EVS website: http://www.ou.nl/evs Last update: Barton Andrew George (09.10.2013)
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Timetable EVS 2013-2014
Last update: Dlouhá Jana, RNDr., Ph.D. (23.09.2013)
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