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41828-01 - Lecture with practical courses: Perspectives of Natural Sciences on Sustainability (3 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2025 |
| Course frequency | Every fall sem. |
| Lecturers | Alejandra Morán Ordóñez (alejandra.moranordonez@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | The course is offered within the scope of the program "Pathways to Sustainability" (formerly known as "Transfaculty Cross Section Program Sustainable Development/Transfakultäres Querschnittsprogramm TQNE": https://msd.unibas.ch/en/study-programs/pathways-to-sustainability-tqne/). The program consists of 3 introductory lectures with practical courses (lecture A and B are offered in fall semesters, C is offered in spring semesters) dedicated to conveying the foundations of sustainable development. An additional integration seminar (D, offered in spring semesters) engages with interdisciplinary work. The assignment and completion of D requires the successful completion of two lectures from the above mentioned lectures A, B and C. This courses (lecture A) deals with the analysis of sustainability problems and problem solving from a natural sciences perspective. There is a special focus on food production and its interdependencies and impacts on natural ecosystems. In this course, students will learn about what the planetary boundaries are, and how we are transgressing them, with a special focus on food production and its link with land use change and sustainability. The course addresses topics such as the expansion of the agricultural frontier, the need to protect the last remains of intact natural ecosystems and the linkages between climatic, biodiversity and food production crisis. The course consist on weekly lectures and topic-specific practical work: the lectures deal with systematic overview knowledge and a set of specific aspects of (un-) sustainable food production and ecosystems conservation. The practical assignments focus on empirical case studies of how food production intersects with different aspects of environmental and resources conservation and involves active student participation. |
| Learning objectives | Thematic competences: Understand how sustainability is addressed from the field of natural sciences (silos perspective) and the interlinkages between ecological, economic and social systems in this subject area (break silos). Practical competences: students will develop the ability to organize and carry out research group work on different issues related to the different dimensions of sustainability of food production from the natural sciences perspective; they will practice their synthesis and presentation skills, presenting and discussing their work in front of peers. |
| Bibliography | Will be provided in advance via ADAM. |
| Comments | The kick-off event: details tba. Extra certificate Upon completion of the entire program “Pathways to Sustainability” and the enrolled degree program at the University of Basel students may order an additional certificate. For this purpose students send an email to coordination-msd@unibas.ch, attach their official final degree transcript (= graduation transcript = Zeugnis) and provide the postal address. This course is offered by the programs "Pathways to Sustainability" and MSD. Prof. Dr. Alejandra Morán Ordóñez is member of the teaching committee MSD and head of the research group Landscape Ecology and Ecosystems Conservation/Dep. Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, and of "Pathways to Sustainability". |
| Admission requirements | This course is open to students of the University of Basel and EUCOR sustainability program who are at least in their third bachelor semester, or who are studying at Master or PhD level. MSD 2017 Students who have already attended a similar class are supposed to contact Prof. Dr. A. Morán Ordóñez and determine with her a substitute; they also have to fix a learning agreement (template available on the website MSD/downloads MSD 2017). |
| Course application | Course enrollment on online services should be completed by the beginning of the teaching period (withdrawal possible until Monday of teaching week five). |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Tuesday | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Comments |
Kick-off: Details tba. |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 16.09.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Tuesday 23.09.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Tuesday 30.09.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Tuesday 07.10.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Tuesday 14.10.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Tuesday 21.10.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Tuesday 28.10.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Tuesday 04.11.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Tuesday 11.11.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Tuesday 18.11.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Tuesday 25.11.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Tuesday 02.12.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Tuesday 09.12.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Tuesday 16.12.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 117 |
| Modules |
Grundkurse (Transfakultäre Querschnittsprogramme im freien Kreditpunkte-Bereich) Module: Complementary Knowledge in Natural Sciences (Master's Studies: Sustainable Development) Module: Electives in Data Science (Master's Studies: Data Science) Specialization Module Global Europe: Environment and Sustainability (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) |
| Assessment format | record of achievement |
| Assessment details | Compulsory attendance in presence of lecture and practical course, submission of learning portfolio according to the announced requirements. Final written examination (details acccording to information of lecturer): 16. December 25, during usual lecture time, 60 minutes. Repeat examination: 13. January 26, during usual lecture time, 60 minutes. Room according to announcement. Practical courses: Each student has to submit a learning portfolio according to the announced requirements. The group meetings are organized at the beginning of the semester and will take place later in the semester. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration, dereg: cancel course registration |
| Repeat examination | one repetition, best attempt counts |
| Scale | 1-6 0,1 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | University of Basel |
| Offered by | Departement Umweltwissenschaften |