General entry requirements + Physics 2, Chemistry 1, Mathematics 3c or Mathematics D

Context knowledge
Give an orientation on:

• International development cooperation
• Swedish and international development aid
• The roles and mandates of organizations in international development cooperation
• The role and responsibility of companies in reducing poverty and contributing to the global goals.

Professional knowledge

• Challenge-driven product development for social, economic, and environmental sustainability (Agenda 2030)
• Interdisciplinary perspectives from disciplines such as social anthropology, humanitarian aid, international development cooperation, international relations, innovation, resource management with life cycle perspectives and group dynamics
• Agenda 2030 and how sustainable products can contribute to achieving the global goals.
• Innovation and product development from an engineering perspective with the aim of reducing poverty.
• Guest lectures on engineering roles in development assistance and how innovative organizations work to achieve the global goals.

From knowledge to competence

• Project management, product development, and methods for context analysis from international aid
• Case-based projects in teams to develop products that meet specific challenges in international aid. The work includes an analysis of challenges and opportunities as well as suggestions for improvements.
• Broadening and in-depth self-studies in areas that are relevant to the project work.
• A special emphasis is placed on developing a critical view on the professional role as an engineer and how challenges can be met to contribute to sustainable development

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade, the student must be able to:

• describe the meaning of socially sustainable development in a global and local context.
• describe and show understanding of the meaning of Agenda 2030 and the global goals and how this affects how aid is implemented.
• account for product development for socially sustainable development from a life cycle perspective
• describe key problems related to interaction with people in vulnerable situations and with different social, cultural, and economic conditions.

Skills and abilities
For a passing grade, the student must be able to:

• demonstrate the ability to implement product development projects with local relevance that can contribute to the global goals.
• identify, obtain, and evaluate relevant information for the implementation of the project work.
• orally and in writing present results from the project work and be able to discuss and defend the presented conclusions by utilizing the knowledge and arguments that form the basis for the results.

Judgment and approach
For a passing grade, the student must be able to:

• reflect on one how to act in the professional role to contribute in activities aimed at socially sustainable development in a global context.
• apply an interdisciplinary and critical approach to their own work and in a future professional role, where they can contribute to poverty reduction, based on their professional knowledge

Lectures, seminars, assignments and project work.

Requirements for Pass (A-E):

• Approved assignments (2.5 credits, G-U)
• Approved project work (5 credits, A-U)

The final course grade is based on a weighted result of all individual assignments.

Course literature is chosen in consultation with the teachers/supervisors, but the student is also expected to search, evaluate and use relevant literature on their own.

Recommended reference literature:

• Broman, G., R., Karl, H., Basile, G., Byggeth, S., Connell, T. (2012) Sustainability Handbook, Studentlitteratur
• Eller, J.D. (2016) Cultural Anthropology: Global Forces, Local Lives, Routledge, Taylor & Frances
• Hylland Eriksen, T. (2004) What Is Anthropology? 2nd ed. (Anthropology, Culture & Society), Pluto Press.
• United Nations (2011) Result-based management https://unsdg.un.org/resources/unsdg-results-based-management-handbook
• United Nations (2015) Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, A/RES/70/1. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld
• United Nations (2017) Basic facts about the United Nations, 42nd ed., UN Department of Public Information, USA.
• Wenger, E. (2011). Communities of practice: A brief introduction

The University provides students who are taking or have completed a course with the opportunity to share their experiences of and opinions about the course in the form of a course evaluation that is arranged by the University. The University compiles the course evaluations and notifies the results and any decisions regarding actions brought about by the course evaluations. The results shall be kept available for the students. (HF 1:14).

When a course is no longer given, or the contents have been radically changed, the student has the right to re-take the examination, which will be given twice during a one year period, according to the syllabus which was valid at the time of registration.

If a student has a Learning support decision, the examiner has the right to provide the student with an adapted test, or to allow the student to take the exam in a different format.