Sustainable Development: from Global Vision to Meaningful Practice

Course NameSustainable Development: from Global Vision to Meaningful Practice
Course CodeIRS380 / IRS680
DescriptionSustainable Development has become a commonplace term and a major reference point in global as well as national politics of most countries. The overarching 2015 global framework of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) committed the UN member states, international organizations as well as NGOs, business and other stakeholders to implement their strategies and cohere their activities/policies along 17 broad areas ranging from poverty, inequalities to environment, peace and good governance.
Learning OutcomesUpon completion of this course, students will be able to:
– Demonstrate a structured understanding of the concept/s of Sustainable Development in the context of international relations, EU and global politics, including practical approaches taken by major stakeholder groups (besides governments, NGOs and to a lesser degree businesses) that allows them to use theknowledge gained in various professional environments;
– Demonstrate awareness of the concept of sustainable development and its development over time;
– Demonstrate knowledge of the selected key issue areas and understanding of the dynamics of and inter- linkages between them;
– Critically reflect on the challenges of a coherent/integrated approach to finding meaning solutions and formulate their benefits (be it in the context of international negotiations, national policy-making, approaches taken by business, or individual decisions);
– Apply their creative thinking and knowledge of international relations in proposing original solutions to these challenges;
– Critically assess and analyze contemporary political/media discourse as manifested in the various themes of sustainable development and key issues covered in the course;
– Have a greater insight into the practical solutions to global challenges and bridge concepts with national and EU policy-making;
– Demonstrate an effort to approach their learning with clarity and responsibility and demonstrate an ability to reflect mindfully on their own learning process.
SchoolSchool of International Relations and Diplomacy (IRD)
LevelBachelor / Master
Number of credits (US / ECTS)3 US / 6 ECTS