Certificate in Sustainable Development and Social innovation

The Certificate in Sustainable Development is a study programme, which provides an overview on the most recent insights form academics and practitioners relating to global change and transformational learning for sustainability. It offers tools for social learning to tap into the collective inteleligence of stakeholders and experts and thereby gaining a better understanding of the complex challenges of climate change. The certificate covers topics such as energy, water and food production, waste and recycling, sustainable housing and transport. 

The certificate consist of 2 core courses, 1 peer group project and/or 1 auxiliary course. The study program can thereby be adapted to one's own needs. 
It is designed to be compatible with a full-time job or study programme and can be completed in one year.

The focus of the first core course, "Social Enterprise and Social innovation", is to explore social enterprises as vehicles for social innovation to adress challenges of social inequity and sustainability. Diverse legal, financial and business models, and stakeholder relations aspects are explored. One overarching theme is defining, measuring and reporting on the common good and sustainable value creation in a pluralist society.

The second core course, "Science and Citizens meet challege of Sustainability", provides tools for better understanding and acting in the face of complexity and interdependencies of the natural and social world. 

The peer group project wants to bridge the gap between academic literatur and theory in the course and practical problems of salience to Luxembourg. The goal is to develop recommendations as a group on a particular topic leading to concrete actions and more general strategies for transition to a more sustainable society.

If you are interested, you can find more information about the contents of the certificate on the website below. 

Participants of the certificate will develop a variety fo competences:

• to apply systems thinking to understand the complexity of society, environment and their interactions.
• to respect the conflicting perspectives on an issue that are held by diverse experts and stakeholders, stemming from diversity in experience, values and world views.
• to recognise uncertainties and tensions arising from the gulf between local and global perspectives and modes of inquiry.
• to develop ‘citizen science’ approaches and techniques for creatively integrating the social and scientific emphases of the two phases of the course.
• an appreciation of alternative forms of social organization and enterprise for achieving a sustainable economic exchange system

Sustainability and Social Innovation are inseparable. Active involvement of both citizens and science is necessary for guiding and monitoring the innovations that promise to protect or improve our lifestyle standards.