EVERYTHING IS MATERIAL - MATERIAL IS EVERYTHING

The course is part of the programme MAISTR (hh.se/maistr) where participants can take the entire programme or individual courses. The course is for professionals and is held online in English. Application is open as long as there is a possibility of admission. The courses qualify for credits and are free of charge for participants who are citizens of any EU or EEA country, or Switzerland, or are permanent residents in Sweden. More information can be found at antagning.se. About the course Critical design and practical ethics for AI, 3 credits Who is this course for? Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being increasingly implemented and used in society today. It has already proven to have an impact on the individual, organization and society, and this impact will most likely only increase. Therefore, it is important to understand the ethical issues that may arise from use of AI, as well as to adopt a critical stance to the technology’s impact. The course introduces critical and ethical issues surrounding data and society, to train the student to problematize and reason about artificial intelligence (AI). You are most likely a designer, innovator, or product manager that works with digital services and products. What will you learn from this course? The course deals with different perspectives on AI and its real and potential effect on organizations and society. The course is based on five different perspectives on AI: accountability, surveillance capitalism, power and bias, sustainability, and trust. The course material consists of recent and relevant literature on the impact of, and critical perspectives on AI. Active discussions founded in different ethical perspectives are also an important part of the course. What is the format of this course? This course is primarily self-paced, with a few synchronous meetings. Most activities are based on the student’s having consumed specified material beforehand, such as video lectures, podcasts, articles, and books. Active discussions, both in online forums and during synchronous meetings, are an important part of the course.

This course looks at where important materials in products we use every day come from and how these materials can be used more efficiently, longer, and in closed loops. This is the aim of the Circular Economy, but it doesn’t happen on its own. It is the result of choices and strategies by suppliers, designers, businesses, policymakers and all of us as consumers. In addition to providing many cases of managing materials for sustainability, the course also teaches skills and tools for analyzing circular business models and promotes development of your own ideas to become more involved in the transition to a Circular Economy. You will learn from expert researchers and practitioners from around Europe as they explain core elements and challenges in the transition to a circular economy over the course of 5 modules: Module 1: Materials. This module explores where materials come from, and builds a rationale for why society needs more circularity. Module 2: Circular Business Models. In this module circular business models are explored in-depth and a range of ways for business to create economic and social value are discussed. Module 3: Circular Design, Innovation and Assessment. This module presents topics like functional materials and eco-design as well as methods to assess environmental impacts. Module 4: Policies and Networks. This module explores the role of governments and networks and how policies and sharing best practices can enable the circular economy. Module 5: Circular Societies. This module examines new norms, forms of engagement, social systems, and institutions, needed by the circular economy and how we, as individuals, can help society become more circular.

Society is transitioning from oil dependency to metal dependency as we are turning to fossil-free alternatives in the energy and transport sectors. Today, many more metals in the periodic table are used in our daily lives compared to only a few decades ago and many metals that previously had marginal applications are today central to achieving the climate goals. But where do these metals come from and how are they linked to geology?In this course, you will explore the basics of geology and understand how geology controls where critical metals are in the earth’s crust. You will gain insight into what it takes to mine an ore body and broaden your perspective on what risks and challenges we are facing when it comes to the raw material supply that drives the fossil-free energy transition. This course covers the role of ore geology in the transition to fossil-free energy and transport systems, which means that we are moving from oil dependency to metal dependency. Geological processes throughout the earth’s history are responsible for the current distribution of ore deposits. By understanding how these ore forming processes work, we can better explain why certain metals occur in extractable amounts in one place while being almost absent in another. To meet the global demand of metals needed in, for example, solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries, a thorough understanding of how geological processes work is fundamental. In this course, you will be introduced to the fantastic world of the subsurface that made all the technology you take for granted possible.    You will explore: What critical metals are, where they are produced today, and what risks and challenges are involved in the supply of raw materials that drives the fossil-free energy transition. Basic geology – minerals, rock types, geological structures and why they matter. What an ore is and the natural processes that accumulate metals in the earth’s crust.  This course is designed for people that would like to gain knowledge about the role of geology in the transition to fossil-free energy systems. The course is for those who want to know more about what critical metals are, how an ore is formed, and about risks and challenges coupled to the supply of raw materials that drive the energy transition. This may include politicians and other authorities, teachers and students in elementary and high school that want to know more about subjects critical to the energy transition. It may also include university students within the social sciences, and many more. The course will also be useful for anyone who is employed and wishes to upskill within the area of societal challenges coupled to the supply of raw materials and the need for metals in modern society. The course will be given in english.

The course is given by Chalmers University of Technology. VIDEOCLIP - TEASER: Take two min to get a sense of the course and hear why you should take it: https://play.chalmers.se/embed/secure/iframe/entryId/0_wvsk9cji/uiConfId/23450493/st/0 FOR WHO: The course aims at professionals working with or affected by ongoing sustainability transitions. For example, the course targets professionals such as: Those who work with environmental policy related business development and sustainability practice in larger corporations. Examples of typical sectors include transport, energy, food and manufacturing. Civil servants within authorities or municipal operations who are responsible for issues with climate relevance or circular economy. Professionals working with development cooperations, or in intergovernmental organizations with related issues. Applied researchers who want to get an introduction to the subjects. WHAT AND WHY: In this course your invited to learn from the experience and knowledge of a world-leading expert in environmental policy instruments (Thomas Sterner) who, with the help of pedagogical experts, has cherry-picked content from a master's course at Chalmers and tailored the course structure for you as a professional. In the wake of the increased pace of ongoing sustainability transitions, environmental policies are becoming more comprehensive, complex and stringent. The purpose of this course is to give professionals an introduction to the portfolio of environmental policy instruments and equip them with tools to understand the mechanisms of the respective instruments and learn to work strategically with them in their own practice. The course will focus on topics such as climate change, the circular economy, and the energy crisis. To learn from the experience of thought leaders from several major industries, you will be able to view interviews with experts who talk about the role and implications of policies to their work and the sustainability transitions of their industry. WHEN AND HOW: All parts of the course are free of charge, and you choose when and at what pace you want to complete the course elements. The course will be given in English, and the estimated time spent is 35-50 hours, depending on how much of the optional material you chose to study. The course offers you the possibility to tailor the learning experience as it fits best with your professional development. Therefore, it is recommended to read the course together with colleagues, to share joint learning and anchor it in your daily work. However, this is not a requirement. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: The course gives a broad overview of the economic concepts underlying environmental policymaking. You will get insights into the practicalities of environmental and climate policies, both from the perspectives of those implementing the policy and of those facing new regulations. On completion of the course, you will for example be able to: describe and recognize how environmental policy instruments work. identify and relate to which environmental policy instruments are key to climate action and circular economy efforts in one's own sector and organization. The course offers a dynamic learning environment with short videos, quizzes, exercises, and resources.

This is a course for professionals and PhD students seeking a wider understanding of our current global predicaments, how to make sense of them, and how to respond. The first module introduces the Anthropocene, The Great Acceleration, Planetary Boundaries along with causal relationships between energy, technology, economy, values and the human and more-than-human experience. The second module explores how our own cognition, values, norms and emotions guide our responses to the crises of our time, and how we can formulate coherent responses based on our experiences. The third introduces a way of reasoning about the world in terms of interconnected systems instead of independent problems, and explores what such a view means for us. The course is run online with 2h highly interactive seminars connected to each module along with recorded material, readings and exercises.

Business models that efficiently contribute to reduction of material use and waste are key to successful transition towards sustainability. This course has a particular focus on the interplay between business models, product innovation and production processes. Through this course, you will explore the critical relationship between sustainable practices and business strategies, preparing you to contribute meaningfully to the circular economy and sustainable development initiatives In this course, you will be introduced to systematic working methods for business development in practical contexts, with a specific focus on innovation and creativity. The goal of the course is to provide a deep understanding of the application of various business model practices in different types of development work. The objective is for course participants to enhance their ability to understand and apply business development processes in the manufacturing industry and gain deeper insights into how these processes relate to organizations' innovation and business strategies in order to achieve circular flows, resilience, and sustainability. The teaching consists of self-study using course literature, films, and other materials through an internet-based course platform, as well as scheduled webinars and written reflections. There are no physical meetings; only digital online seminars are included. Study hours 40 hours distributed from week 3, 2025 to week 8, 2025. Webinar 1: January 13thWebinar 2: January 20thWebinar 3: February 3rdWebinar 4: February 17th Target GroupThis course is primarily intended for engineers in management or middle management positions within industry, whether they are recent graduates or individuals with extensive experience. The course is suitable for individuals with backgrounds in mechanical engineering, industrial engineering management, or similar educational background. Entry RequirementsTo be eligible for this course, participants must have completed courses equivalent to at least 120 credits, with a minimum of 90 entry Requirement credits in a technical subject area, with at least a passing grade, or equivalent knowledge. Proficiency in English is also required, equivalent to English Level 6. Educational package in circular economyThe course Product/production and business development for circular flows is an introduction of the educational package starting again spring 2024 and will also run spring 2026. This course: Business development for circular flow together with Product development for circular flows (starting March 3) and Production for cirkular flows (starting April 28) are free standing independent courses that build on knowledge in the field.