MIK-1006 Green Transition: Opportunities and Risks in Working Life - 2.5 stp

This course explores the global challenges driving the green transition, which include climate change, resource depletion, biodiversity loss, and pollution. These challenges, combined with rapid technological development and growing complexity, create more uncertainty in decision-making.

To help students understand how to make green decisions under uncertainty in real-world settings, the course introduces the concept of the VUCA world. This world is Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous. In such a context, sustainability becomes a key principle for making balanced and forward-looking decisions.

In this regard, students will become familiar with how sustainability-related decisions and mindsets affect companies, governments, and society, and why there is increasing pressure to shift toward more sustainable ways of working.

The course continues with a focus on sustainability and highlights how national and international regulations, such as the Paris Agreement, are shaping industrial strategies and policy directions. Students will also gain insight into how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability reporting are becoming standard expectations across sectors.

Building on this foundation, Students will become familiar with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as a tool for evaluating environmental impacts throughout a product’s or system’s lifetime. The course also introduces key sustainability standards and policies.

Students work with real-life cases related to the green transition. Through the exercises, they will apply course concepts, reflect on sustainability issues, and receive guidance and feedback. This supports critical thinking, teamwork, and practical understanding of the green transition.

General university admissions certification or prior learning and work experience qualifications.

Application code: 9199

Knowledge

The student …

• understands key global challenges such as climate change, pollution, and resource use.
• can explain the meaning and importance of sustainability in the context of a green transition.
• can describe key national and international regulations, standards, and agreements that support sustainability.
• can recognize how a VUCA world (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) influences sustainable decision-making.

Skills

The student …

• is familiar with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as a tool for evaluating environmental impact.
• can identify risks and opportunities related to sustainability in uncertain and complex environments.
• can work with practical cases to explore sustainability solutions using structured methods

General Competence

The student …

• can reflect on the role of sustainability in working life, industry, and society.
• can collaborate with others to address sustainability-related challenges.
• can apply critical thinking and show flexibility when working with complex, real-world problems.