POLICIES FOR CLIMATE ACTION AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY

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.

Materials are all around us, in your house, in your phone and in the air you breathe. But what is material and why is it so important? Right now, the green transition is underway, but how do we create a more sustainable world - from raw material to product? It's all about materials. How does material feel? How are materials chosen? What are the materials of the future? Join us and discover our world of materials! The course containsIn this course we go through the basics of what materials are and why they are so important. You get to discover materials, get to know materials and be inspired by the materials of the future. The following areas are included in the course: What is material? How does material feel? How are materials chosen? How are materials recycled? What are the materials of the future? You will learnAt the end of the course you should be able to: Discover and reflect on the world and meaning of materials Get a feel for different materials Discover and analyze materials in your vicinity Understand that different materials are chosen based on the area of use Understand and reflect on the possibilities of materials and their role in the green transition Who is the course for?This is a course suitable for EVERYONE who is curious about the materials in their surroundings, regardless of background and age. The course requires no prior knowledge. It is for those of you who have an interest in a sustainable future and who wonder what role materials have in the green transition. The course is given in Swedish.

Funderar du över vad en cirkulär ekonomi innebär och hur den påverkar dig som privatperson och i ditt yrkesliv? Då ska du ta del den här korta grundkursen, som bygger på kunskaper och erfarenheter från de främsta forskarna och pionjärerna inom akademin och näringslivet. Utbildningen lyfter fram några grundläggande koncept och strategier som du kan dra praktisk nytta av såväl i ditt yrkesliv som privatliv.Om den här kursenHållbarhet är högaktuellt, för individer, företag och samhället i stort. Det är inte längre en fråga om vi har miljöproblem eller inte. Cirkulär ekonomi har lyfts fram som en ekonomisk modell och policylösning på miljöfrågor, en lösning som också hanterar sociala och ekonomiska utmaningar. Det är en ekonomi som grundas på cirkulära resurskretslopp istället för de linjära processer som hittills är dominerande. En nyckel till en mer cirkulär ekonomi är att vända resursutmaningar till möjligheter till förändring och innovation. Ökad cirkulär och effektiv resursanvändning gynnar företagens konkurrenskraft och gör samhället mer hållbart genom t ex minskad resursanvändning, minskad miljöpåverkan och ökad social rättvisa. Gör dig redo för en cirkulär och hållbar framtid! Kursen är en kort snabbkurs i cirkulär ekonomi. Du lär dig om grundläggande koncept och strategier för utvecklingen av en cirkulär och hållbar ekonomi byggd på cirkulära flöden av resurser. Kursen bygger på kunskaper och erfarenheter från de främsta forskarna och pionjärerna inom akademin och näringslivet. Kunskaper du kommer att ha praktisk nytta av i ditt fortsatta yrkesliv och privat. Det här får du lära digNär du har gått kursen kommer du att:- kunna övergripande redogöra för vad cirkulär ekonomi är- ha förståelse för grundläggande koncept kopplat till cirkulär ekonomi Vem riktar sig kursen mot?Alla som har ett intresse för cirkulär ekonomi. Målgruppen är personer som vill få en grundkunskap om cirkulär ekonomi, exempelvis:- lärare- ingenjörer- politiker- beslutsfattareKursen är öppen för alla och gratis. Det finns inga krav på förkunskaper eller särskild behörighet för att delta i kursen. UppläggKursen består av sju moduler, som sätter cirkulär ekonomi i ett historiskt perspektiv, förklarar begreppet och ställer frågan vad cirkulär ekonomi är för dig. Denna kurs kan du också läsa via vår samarbetspartner Nitus lokala lärcentra, som finns på ett flertal platser i Sverige. Läs mer via denna länk.

Opens in May 2025. The Swedish version of the course, namely ”Varför välja trä vid nästa byggprojekt?” is already open. For more iformation contact course coordinator dimitris.athanassiadis@slu.seCourse DescriptionDifferent types of biomaterials (e.g., wood) are crucial in the challenge of decarbonizing the built environment and reducing the carbon footprint of buildings and infrastructure by replacing materials like steel and cement, which have high carbon dioxide emissions. At the same time, we must not forget that it is important to preserve biodiversity and the social values of our forests. The 13 modules of the course cover many forestry related subjects, including harvesting methods, biodiversity, forest management, logistics, the role of forests in the climate transition, carbon storage, environmental benefits of multi-story buildings with wood, and more. The goal is that participants will gain a shared understanding of Swedish forestry so that they can make well-informed decisions about material choices for their next construction project. Course PeriodThe course will be active for 3 years. Content Forest history: The utilization of forests in Sweden throughout the past years Forestry methods and forest management Forest regeneration Wood properties Forest mensuration Forest tree breeding The forest's carbon balance Business models and market development: Focus on wood high rises Nature conservation and biodiversity in the forest Course StructureThe course is fully digital with pre-recorded lectures. You can participate in the course at your own pace. Modules conclude with quizzes where you can test how much you have learned. You will learn aboutUpon completion of the course, you will have learned more about various forest-related concepts, acquired knowledge of forest utilization in Sweden throughout the past years, increased your understanding of forest management and how different management methods affect biodiversity in the forest, and learned about the forestry cycle—from regeneration to final harvesting, etc. Who is this course for?This course is designed for professionals such as architects, municipal employees working with urban planning and construction, individuals in the construction and civil engineering sector, and those in other related fields. This is an introductory course and will contribute to upskilling of the entire construction sector, thereby increasing the industry's international competitiveness while also providing important prerequisites for the development of future sustainable, beautiful, and inclusive cities. Since the course is open to everyone, we hope that more groups, such as students, doctoral candidates, forest owners, and others with an interest in forestry, will take the course and engage with inspiring lectures where scientific knowledge primarily produced within SLU (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) is presented.

Målet med kursen är att ge lärare fortbildning inom ämnet djurvälfärd och hållbarhet. Kursens mål är också att ge lärare inspiration att designa sin egen undervisning, att ge lärare möjlighet att ta till sig ny forskning och att dela med sig av läraktiviteter som kan användas av fler.

This course is offered on-demand, meaning that it will begin as soon as at least 10 participants have registered. Once the threshold is reached, the course will start shortly thereafter. Batteries and battery technology are vital for achieving sustainable transportation and climate-neutral goals. As concerns over retired batteries are growing and companies in the battery or electric vehicle ecosystem need appropriate business strategies and framework to work with.This course aims to help participants with a deep understanding of battery circularity within the context of circular business models. You will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to design and implement circular business models and strategies in the battery and electric vehicle industry, considering both individual company specific and ecosystem-wide perspectives. You will also gain the ability to navigate the complexities of transitioning towards circularity and green transition in the industry.The course includes a project work to develop a digitally enabled circular business model based on real-world problems. Course content Battery second life and circularity Barriers and enablers of battery circularity Circular business models Ecosystem management Pathways for circular transformation Design principles for battery circularity Role of advanced digital technologies Learning outcomes After completing the course, you will be able to: Describe the concept of battery circularity and its importance in achieving sustainability goals. Examine and explain the characteristics and differences of different types of circular business models and required collaboration forms in the battery- and electric vehicle- industry. Analyze key factors that are influencing design and implement circular business models based on specific individual company and its ecosystem contexts. Analyze key stakeholders and develop ecosystem management strategies for designing and implementing circular business models. Explain the role of digitalization, design, and policies to design and implement circular business models. Plan and design a digitally enabled circular business model that is suitable for a given battery circularity problem. Examples of professional roles that will benefit from this course are sustainability managers, battery technology engineers, business development managers, circular developers, product developers, environmental engineers, material engineers, supply chain engineers or managers, battery specialists, circular economy specialists, etc. This course is given by Mälardalen university in cooperation with Luleå University of Technology. Study effort: 80 hours