Course syllabus for Managing stakeholders for sustainable development

Course syllabus adopted 2021-02-26 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameHantering av intressenter för hållbar utveckling
  • CodeENM130
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerMPTSE
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • Main field of studyEnergy and Environmental Systems and Technology, Mechanical Engineering
  • DepartmentTECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMICS
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 28114
  • Block schedule
  • Open for exchange studentsYes

Credit distribution

0112 Examination 7.5 c
Grading: TH		0 c7.5 c0 c0 c0 c0 c
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In programmes

Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites

Basic knowledge in environmental science or environmental engineering

Aim

The course aims to provide students with an understanding of how to build constructive relationships with diverse stakeholders in practical contexts. Students gain practical skills and theoretical knowledge of both how to handle and manage the needs and interests of diverse stakeholders and of how to integrate stakeholders - varying types of expertise in relation to sustainability development projects. Stakeholders include local and central government authorities, intergovernmental organisations, industry, university, research institutes, insurance companies, NGOs and regular citizens. The course focuses on the types of cross-disciplinary knowledge and skills required to take leadership on sustainability projects and interact with stakeholders in each of these contexts.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

  • Critically discuss the importance and potential benefits of involving stakeholders in sustainability projects as well as the challenges it implies;
  • Account for and apply relevant theories, models and methods for identifying and categorizing different types of stakeholders in relation to specific sustainable development contexts;
  • Identify the needs and conflicts interests of different types of stakeholders;
  • Apply literature and other information to design and execute some kind of stakeholder involvement in relation to sustainable development.

Content

  • Perspectives on multi-stakeholder processes for sustainable development
  • Drivers and barriers for involving stakeholders
  • Identifying and managing stakeholders 
  • Forms for stakeholder involvement
  • Stakeholder negotiations for international agreements

Organisation

The course is organised in the form of a series of interlinked ectures, seminars, workshops and assignments. The lectures focus on giving an overview of the academic literature. In seminars and workshops, students discuss the literature or participate in exercises to develop knowledge and skills that are useful for identifying, understanding and interacting with stakeholders in sustainable development projects. The students also work in groups with a real sustainability issue, where they apply the knowledge and skills they have developed during the course to desgin and execute some kind of stakeholder involvement. 

Literature

To be announced two weeks before the course starts.

Examination including compulsory elements

The examination of the course consists of an individual written assignment and a project report (in groups). The group report is graded as pass/fail and the individual assignment is graded according to the scale fail, 3, 4, 5. The final course grade is determined based on the individual assignment. A pass grade on all assignments is required to pass the course. Some semiinars and workshops are mandatory to attend.

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.